


^^ eOjvlPLIjvlEJMTS 01 






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OLMSTED, 



THE 



"DEN COUNTY OF MINNESOTA, 



AND 



'ROCHESTER 

i 

i • WITH IT;:; 

! I v;kalth, "tauty and business, 

jJ||^ CONriLEI':- TOUPERVIS,_ 



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i;^" 3. X>. STI?A.2:TG-, ST". I^'^'j.XJXj. 



CCPiES FflEE ?." f^^' 
OF , 



S SECREFARV BOARD 
i;, MINN. 



H ROCHESTER, MINN.- 

' KELLEY BROTHERS, PHINTERS. 




Class. 
Book. 



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Copyright ]^"_ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



OLMSTED COUNTY, 

MINNESOTA, 

AND ITS 

Adva^" tages of Soil, Climate and Location, 

WITH 

ROCHESTER 

AS A :most 

FAVORABLE POINT FOR MANUFACTURING, 



KH 

A TRUTHFUL COMPARISON WITH THE MOST PRODUCTIVE 
SECTIO]>fS OF OTHER STATES AND COUNTRIES— DEVEL- 
OPMENT — COMMERCIAL CONDITION — WONDERFUL 
YIELDS OF CtRAIN— DAIRYING PRODUCTS THAT 
COMMAND THE HIGHEST PRICES IN NEW 
YORK MARKETS— BLOODED STOCK- WATER 
POWERS — HEALTHFULNESS OF CLI- 
MATE—EDUCATIONAL xVD VANTAGES 
— CHURCH PRIVILEGES — SUR- 
PRISING STATISTICS— &c., &c. 

PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED. 

hCm 



^ * c^ *-'-* 



COMPILED AND PUBLISHED BY E. D. STRANG, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF 
THE BOARD OE TRADE. ROCHESTER, MINN., TO WHOM ALL LET- 
TERS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. COPIES FREE. 

K>-< 

ROCHESTER, MINN.: 

POST STEAM NEWSPAPER, BOOK AND JOS FEINTING OFFICE. 

1884. 




COPYRIGHTED. IS&t, 



E. JD. STK-A-iTO, ST. -^J^JJX^- 



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STOP 



Kird i<';;cliTsard In-foiv y< u thuiw s>i(k' this beck let Ks r.-Mi:c yc utlat it isrct an liaet- 
ily preijared work, writteii without regard to truth, but a careful compilation of facts and 
statistic.*, gleaned fj-oiu many reliable .sources, and pre.ser.ted to you in the spirit of truth 
aid lior.esty. And before you even pass Judgment up.on it, please give eo much of it an 
lioncf^t reading a.s pertair.M to your particular businet-.s or calling. And while wo engage 
your careful attention for a .sliort time, ]>lcase keep in mir.d the fact that every statement 
made can be fully proven and that In ccmpiliDg the work the authors have kept in view 
their individual resporsibility, ;n.d they cliallerge a careful investigation of the state- 
ments herein made. 

The committee, ui der whotse dirtetiou this work was prepared, was appointed and 
their work is crdor^r d by the Board of Trade ard business men of Eochestcr and ad- 
ditional coiiies of thin \v< rk will he rent pc.st-i.Eid to ary person whose cddrcss is sent to 

Secretary Board of Trade, 

Rochester, Minjt. 



11 



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MINNESOTA 



THE EMPIRE STATE OF THE NORTHWEST, 



To all those who are in anywise interested in the progress, jji-os- 
pects and natural resources of the great northwest, a brief descrip- 
tion of the grand state of Minnesota, its earliest settlement, its sub- 
sequent growth and development, can but prove truly interesting. . 

Be it remembered that in temperament, education, religion, and 
pursuit, the discoverers of the northwest were the very opposite] of 
those who settled on the shores of Massachusetts Bay and the Connec- 
ticut River. The one were men of calm temperament and stern faith, 
content to till the land, to study the Divine "Word and to train [^their 
children to the fear of the Lord. 

The pioneers of the northwest were, however, men of ardent and 
excitable temperament. Pride of conquest or discovery in the name 
of their Sovereign, the King of France, together with the greed for 
wealth, induced the French fur traders to penetrate the unknown- 
wi,lds, while the Missionary, devoted to his cause and a life of pover- 
ty, often led the way and made safe the following of the selfish, 
merchant. 

While the colonists of NeAV England were looked upon by King 
Charles as outcasts, and dull, canting round-heads, the Acadians of 
the north were praised by an applauding government for every step 
they took towards the interior of the continent, and as in their zeal 
or greed they pushed westward, they soon discovered the great 
waterway of the St. Lawrence and the great lakes, and used it as an; 
highway cast up for the extension of their dominions. And aithougb. 
they did at times sow in tears, they speedily reaped a harvest in joy. 

Before even the disciples of Puritan RoBiNSOX had landed upon 
the icy coasts of Plymouth, the Missionaries of St. Francis had pen- 
etrated the forests and the straits of Mackinaw, and had named the 
Sault de Sainte Marie Falls. 

The Mayflower with her precious freight had not yet weighed an- 
chor from Southamption, until after Quebec had taken on a name 
and been placed among the list of settlements formed by the colonists 
from the home of Longfellow's "Evangeline." And five years before 
the apostle Elliot addressed the tribe of Indians that dwelt withiix 



EXPLORATIONS IN THE N0RTHWES1\ 



six miles of Boston Harbor, the fiery zeal of French Acadian Mission- 
tiries had led them across the Sault, beyond the confines of Lake 
Superior, and was bearing thon onward to the home of tlie Sioux in 
tlie Valley of the Mississii^pi. 

In 1654 two adventurous young men connected v/ith the fur trade 
followed a party of Indians m their hunting excursions for two years, 
and were probably the first white men to penetrate the Dakota coun- 
try. Following these closely was Father Mesnard, who carried the 
religion of Rome beyond the shores of Lake Superior. 

In 1065 Claude xVllouez, also a priest, set out to teach that peace 
that passeth all understanding to the '"ancient arrow-maker'' and 
must be regarded as the white nuxn of whom we hav^e authentic ac- 
count, who first trod the soil on the confines of Minnesota. In his 
intercourse with the Dakotas he was the first to learn of the existence 
of a great river which he calls the "Messipi.'" 

In 1695 the country was taken porsession of by LkSukur, with a 
company of tv^'enty men, and in 1697 Iberville, the Canadian naval 
ccftnmander in the service of the French government, set out to es- 
tablish forts along the great river to maintain peace and to give se- 
curity lO the traders, while he claimed the country as a. pr;>viiic(> of 
France. 

The journals of these first Missionaries Avere perused Avith en- 
ihusiasm by kings, queens, statesmen, merchants, and peasants of 
Pax")al Europe, and the lovers of romance wept freely over the suffer- 
ings of the captive priests or opened their tear-dimmed eyes as they 
i'ollowed the glowing accounts of this Avonder land of mighty forests, 
;ind rushing streams, and sih^ery lakes, and Ava-A'ing, billoAvy mead. 

In 1541 the Spaniard, DeSoto, Avith his ill-fated expedition, dis- 
covered the mighty riA^er near the 25° of north latitude, but for more 
than a century thereafter the Mississippi rolled its immense A^olume 
to the gulf as a hidden stream. And it remained for Father Marquette 
Avith six companions, to add to his other joyous labors that of first 
naA'igating the AA^aters of this wonderful river. He, on the 10th of 
July, 16T3, with his company left Green Bay Mission, ascended the 
Fox river, made a portage and descended the Wisconsin. After pad- 
dling their birch canoes for seA'en days without meeting man or beast 
they reached its mouth and floated on the bosom of tlio "Fatlier of 
Waters." Fearing nothing, excised by the very danger of the adven- 
ture, 

•'Day after day they glided adown the turbulent river; 
Niglit after night, by their blazing fires, encamp,e(l on its borders. 
NoAV through rushing chutes, among green islands, Avhere plume-like 
( Jotton-trees nodded their shadoAvy crests, they swejjt Avith the ciin-ent. 
Then merged into broad Iagoons,'Avhere silvery sand-bars 
Lay in the stream, fvud iilong the Avimpling AvaA-es of their margiii. 
Shining with snoAv-whJte plumes, large flocks of pelicans Avaded-- 

* >|c * * * * 

They Avere approaching tlie region Avliore reigns pevpctunl snnnuer.'" 



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PURCHASE AND SETTLEMENT. 



In 1680, two years before the Quaker, PEN^^ purchased from the 
Indians the spot Avhere the city of Philadelphia now stands, LaSallk 
and his two French companions, Picard DuGay and Michel Ako, 
had penetrated the interior of the northwest and discovered a catar- 
act, which he says, "indeed of itself is terrible, and hath somethinji: 
very astonishing." He reported the falls to be GO feet high, which is 
quite moderate for the man who published those of the Niagara to be 
600. Here he carved the cross and the arms of France on a tree and 
named the falls after the Patron Saint of the expedition, the eloquent 
divine, Anthony, of Padua. 

Thus we find that this section of the northwest has been known 
to the world for more than two centuries, and from the first day of its 
discovery till the present, every visitor and explorer has borne witness 
to its unbounded fertility and the salubrity of its climate. And the 
ages of man rolled along between the date of its discovery and ite 
final settlement, only because of the vast expanse that must needs be 
peopled lying between this section and the Atlantic coast. 

In 1763 Jonathan Carver, of Connecticut, led an exploring party 
into this country, under the commission of the King of England, and 
in his account described it, as compared with his own, as a beautiful 
country, of great fertility, and exceedingly agreeable climate. 

By virtue of the right of discovery by DeSoto, Spain held the en- 
tire section west of the Mississippi as her domain, and it was not un- 
til in 1804 that our government extinguished this claim by purchase 
and established authoi-ity at all the trading posts along the river. 

In the summer of 1820 the building of Fort Snelling at the junc- 
ture of the Minnesota a,nd Mississippi rivers, eight miles above St. 
Paul, was comnieneed. This was the first and for some time the only 
considerable number of whites to settle in this section of the great 
northwest— St. Louis, 900 miles south, was the nearest toAvn of any 
importance. 

In the folloAving July, Greneral Cass and Mr. Schoolcraft, on their 
way from Lake Superior to Prairie du Chien, visited the post, and 
were greatly pleased with the fertility of the soil, and much surprisetl 
to learn that green peas had been raised and eaten by the 15th of 
June, under adverse circumstances, and without extra care. 

The year 1833 saw the first sjteamboat on the upper Mississippi. 
It was the "Virgina," and landed at Mendota, opposite Fort Snelling, 
in June. 

The first regular mail was carried through to the fort in 1833. 

In 1836 St. Paul, the capital of Minnesota, was settled by a party 
of Swiss immigrants, who had been driven back from the Red River 
country on account of the severity of the climate, and who thus be- 
came the pioneers of agriculture in IMinnesol a. 

ITS VASTNESS OF AREA 

Is such that feAV people in the east have yet any definite conception 



THE MAGNITUDE OF MINNESOTA. 



of it. In 1869, Carletox, of the Boston Joiinia', in company with 
several gentlemen from New England, made an extensive trip in the 
northwest, and, in his account of his observations, he describes the 
ijoundaries of Mixj^'BSOTA in the following racy and interesting man- 
ner: "The southern boundary strikes out from the river twenty-two 
miles below LaCrosse, Wis. If I were to go down there and turn my 
steps due west, I might walk 264 miles along the Iowa line before 
reaching the southwestern corner of the State. The Avestern side is 
longest, and if I were to start from the southwestern corner and 
travel due north, I should have a journey of 360 miles to accomplish 
before reaching the northwestern boundary— the line between the 
United States and British America. Starting from Pembina at the 
northwest corner of the state, on the Red River of the north, and 
traveling due east eighty miles, then entering the river emptying into 
Rainy Lake, I might pass through the Avonderful water way of lakes 
and rivers reaching to Lake Superior. The eastern 

boundary formed by Lake Superior, the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers 
is more irregular. Its general outline is that of a crescent, cutting 
into Minnesota, the horns turned eastward, the geographical form 
of the state being somewhat like the capital letter K." 

The area of the state is, in round numbers, 84,000 square miles, or 
o4, 790, 000 acres. 

Does the reader comprehend the magnitude of the figures given? 
If not, let me say that to make a territory of the same size would take 
all of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, 
Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, and 8,000 square miles from the 
state of New York. It is larger than the island of Great Britain and 
two and a half times larger than Ireland. 

We are aware that the impression is quite prevalent in the east 
and south that Minnesota is so far north as to be scarcely habitable, 
and regard this i3oint of the west as possessing an extremely rigorous 
climate; while the truth is southern Minnesota lies in the same lati- 
tude with Rochester and Syracuse, New York, the very garden of the 
east; that St. Pa,ul is in the same latitude of Bordeaux, in the grape 
growing districts of southern France, and that Fort Abercrombie is 
at least 100 miles further south than the world's gayest capitol, Paris. 
In this connection we cannot do better than quote the words of Jas. 
.J. Hill, president of the St. Paul and Manitoba railroad, when in a 
brief speech at a legislative banquet in St. Paul, in Mai-cli last, he was. 
giving an illustration of the great extent of the northwestern wheat 
country. He said: "Take a map of the United States and place one 
point of a pair of dividers here at St. Paul and one point at Jackson- 
ville, Fla., move them northward to New York City and you are 300 
miles beyond that point in the Atlantic ocean; move to the southwest 
and you will strike the city of Mexico; move toward the nortliwest 



10 ITS POLITICAL IMPORTANCE. 



and you have 1,800 miles of agricultural country to traverse, rich and 
productlvo, and cajsable of sustaining an immense population. 

In view of the wonderful gro\vth and development of the great 
northwest, the words of Hon. "Wm. H. Sevrard, in a prophetic speech 
made in St. Paul, Sept. 18, I860, comes to us with constantly increas- 
ing force. Said he: "'I have cast about for the future ultimate cen- 
tral seat of power of the North American people. I h.ive looked at 
Quebec and at New Orleans, at Washington and at San Francisco, at 
Cincinnati and St. Louis, and it has been the result of my best con- 
jecture that the seat of pov/er for North Anierica w^ould yet be found 
in the valley of Mexico: that the glories of the Aztec Capitol would be 
renewed and that city Avould become ultimately the capital of the 
United States of America. But I have corrected that view, and I 
now believe that the last seat of power on this great continent will be 
found somoAvhere within a radius not very far from the spot where I 
now stand, at the head of the navigation of the Mississippi river and 
These great mediterranean lakes."' 

These words of phophecy may never be realized, but it will never- 
theless within a few years become the center of an agricultural and 
manufacturing district almost boundless in extent, and from .v\'hicl) 
.vill go ovit the grain and meat, and the productions of mechanical 
'kill to sustain the many millions of less favored nations. Nor v/ould 
vou wonder at this, dear reader, did you know as truly as do I, that 
he brains, and brawn, and energy, and wealth of the east is giving 
1 ts best, attracted thither by the unbounded richness of our undevei- 
•ped sources. 

Minnesota was organized as a territory in 1849, and vcas admitted 
as a state in 1858, with but little over 200,000 population. Her growth 
lias been such, however, that within the ciuarter of a century passed 
since hei-^dmission she has a total of fully 1,000,000 soids. 

The southern half of the state is a rolling prairie, wooded and 
watered in a bo'jntiful mannei , Avhile the northern part is covered 
with dense forests of pine. The central and southern parts are fre- 
[uently traversed with well-established and competing lines of rail- 
way. And her 200,000 pupils find ample acconnnodation in the 4,500 
■hool buildings, which are judiciously distributed over the state. To 
ndoAV these schools— the safeguard of American liberty— and place 
1 lem Ijeyond even the probability of becoming a burden to the tax- 
; .avers of this new state, they have received the nuTnificent gift of 
ver 3,000,000 acres of land, equally scattered thi-oughout the entire 
•^ate; it being the 16th and 3Cth sections of each township. 



CANDil) (M^INIOXS OF OUR STATE. 



The Garden Region. 



'The southeastern part of iNlJiiiieKOia has been approjiriately 
<hristened the "G;irdeu Region.'" And it io ah-eady so fully iniproved 
that extensive districts occur, resembling in appearance the old gar- 
den farms found in the vicinity of the large eastern citieB. Ail of it 
lias passed beyond the transition stage which marks ail new countries. 
i»nd in both villages and rural districts sufficient i^rcgrets has been 
made in remodeling dwellings and other buildings, and in planting 
^hade, fiuit, and ornamental trees and shrubbery, to take away the 
ivppearance of newness from the scene, Avhich is a prcminent feature 
«>f all recent!}^ settled count rief. Strangers traveling through this 
>c'ci:ion are frequently heard to express suri:)i'ise sit their advancement 

• id can hardly he persuaded that scarcely a quarter of a century has 
•■psed since it was a wilderiiess, peopled only by Indians. 

In support of the above we would call the attention of the reader 
>-'> the following letter fi-oni one of the surprised ones who came 
;<inoiu;st us from Ohio, and who, upon his return, boro witness to his 
•:irprise at our advancement hi the following letter: 

CniLLicoTHE, Ohio, lrit>pl. i, 18S;]. 
Deah feJiu: * * * On my return, 1 came fiom Oitcnvillo to Bbakorce on the 11. 
^ A D. iT.ilrccd, ai (1 ntartt'd from the latter c;tj' to make a tr.iir of tho soutliern part of 
>t)arst«tc, spendirt; tw;> weeks in that section. Thiy is a beautiful country and I was 
aistonishcd at its advancement and the general appoarancc of thrift tveiywhere met witli 
The farmers nearly all seam to be doiiiK well, and 1 have not met with better lookint; 
ifk anywhere. I was not prepared lo fi.'.d so many blccdtd horses, hcrr.td cattle, shoe)) 
■ 1 hogs in a region which, uritil this vitdt, I bad looked upon as an almost wild frontier 
:uitry. You may imagine my surprise at the riumber cf handsome faim i-.cusos, well 
hiiilt and convenient ban:3 ard out-buildirgs, the schcolLoiiPCp, churches, ard pretty vil- 
lages tliat I saw: at (he sood rcadh!, substantial bridges, phi;. ted j^roves, rows of tree^. 
?:iwns, etc. It S3ems liardly possible lliat 1 could be in Min7.;( sola and in tho midst of 
■(•h improvements at tlie tame timo. Tlie soil must bo excellent, and its cultivatioji 
inparalively inexpensive, or so much wealth a- d luxui-y ^culd not have been derived 
. iom it in tho short time it has been settled. Bur what I wondered at most cf all was (Lr 
ijbxiinlance of cheap lard to be obtained in the midst of such surroundings. Kail I i:ol 
l)«»n into the country a few miles fartlier west, where so much remains wholly unoccu- 

• "i<l, I could not have accounted for this ;;ncn:a]y. * * * * I i.ope to see you 

.'in in th.e spring. Ytmr friend, E. ('. Watsox. 

A farmer, w'ho owns extensive tracts of 'land in several of the 
.■stern and middle states, and who for thirtv veai's has ])?on int<^j'- 



12 LARGrEST YIELDS OF GRAIN IN THE KNOWN WORLD. 

ested in fanning and stock groAving in Minnesota, as well as in the 
easterly sections of the country; one who has been a close observer 
and a careful student of nature and her productions; who 
was born in central New York, and for years has grown grain and 
stock in several of the best and most productive regions between that 
district and the Minnesota valley, told the writer, less than six weeks 
ago, that in his opinion "the best country of any considerable extent 
r)n the continent, for the fanner and stock grower, would be embrac- 
ed within a line started at Davenijort, on the Iowa side of the Missis- 
sippi, and run with a slight curve to the west of a northwest course 
to Mankato, Minn., down the Minnesota river to its confluence with 
the Mississippi, down the Mississippi to LaCrosse, east from LaCrosse 
to Lake Michigan, up Lake Michigan to Chicago, and from Chicago 
west to Davenport, the place of beginning, giving the last 
line a slight southerly curve." Said he: "For diversified farming, 
for stock-growing and dairying, for water-powers for manufacturing, 
for lime, lead, and coal, for cement, rock, fire and building brick, for 
sand for glass or moulding livirposes, for purity of water, healthful- 
ness of climate and contiguity, I believe, after most extensive travel 
and careful observation, that there is not another spot of any con- 
siderable size so generally favored on this continent as the one I have 
just outlined." 

In further supijort of this position, and as pointing out some of 
the essential features of superiority claimed for this section, we pub- 
lish the following letter written by an extensive farmer who was rear- 
ed in the east, and who, during a long life, has been an extensive 
Traveler and a careful student of nature's handiAvork, and whose 
thorough knowledge of the country and the subject with which he 
deals cannot be questioned. He writes: 

To TIw^. Macfarldiie, Warien, Ohio. 
My Dear Mac:— 

Having more leisure just now than when your letter was received, 
I propose to answer your questions pi*etty fully and to add such 
points as may help you to determine whether this region has merits 
enough to justify you in looking it over. 

Y'ou remember from what I have before written to you that from 
1870 to 1878 our Avheat production had grown to be greater per capita 
of population than that of any other region of which Ave have any 
account, either in Europe or America. The state census for 1875 gives 
the folloAving figures for crop of 1874 : 

Olmsted County, population, 20,946, 18 toAvnships, Avheat bu. 2,263,240 
Fillmore " " 28,337, 24 " " 2,364,800 

Goodhue " ^' 28,500, 23 '• " 3,019,318 

The aA'erage being over 100 bushels per capita. Olmsted County gave 
110 bushels per capita. 

The yield per acre in Goodhue Avas the largest in the United 





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14 OUR son. THE BEST KNOWX TO GEOLOGISTS. 

States, being 31.8 bushels. The next hirgest, as given by the Coui- 
uiissioner of Stati.sties, was Batte County, Cal., 31.6 bushels, antlthfe- 
was their best crop of five years. It is well to say that many fields hi 
this county gave 35 to 40 bushel.i per acre. The same year, 18T4, 
Olmsted County gave 1,033,000 bushels oats, 350,600 bushels corn, aisd 
330,900 bushels barley, and had 9,8.")1 horses and 6,766 milch cows. 

The crop of 1877 is known to have beeii nnich larger, and fu?ly 
nine million bushels of wheat was raised in the three counties in that 
year; but I have no official figures to verify the statement, nor caii I 
give you many statistics for later years, except that the numT,*er 
of cows assessed for 18S3 is abjut 15,000 in this county, while its popu- 
lation has reached only 31,400. 

These three counties are grouped because of their similar jCf*o- 
graphical featiu'es. They are on the drainage slope west of the Mia- 
sissippi river, which slope has a gradual descent in 50 miles of over 
500 feer. They occupy a belt of country whose surface is carved hy 
hundreds of small sh'eams, into valleys and undulating uplaritii;, 
which are mottled Avith native growth of tind>?r, chiefly oak and 
aspen; and in sunnner are beautiful with the various shades of greeik 
color, due to woods and fields, hills and valleys, beyond anything e%'er 
seen in a mere prairie country. Besides the influence of the 190 f-t'ct 
of Silurian limestones through which the streams have cut tli««r 
channels,* which themselves insure a fertile soil, increased fertility is 
to be credited to the lacustrine clay, loess loam and cretaceous elay^ 
which from different sources have overlapped each other as weB ay 
the limestone formations beneath. These are modified and mi:x«<l. 
with the decayed remains of the limestones by frosts and rains, hjkI 
the resnlt is a, soil of great pvoductivo ijower. It is found tliat tbe 
black or lake clay of this region is compressed pond muck, showlcag- 
locally truidis and branches of trees, and more rarely masses of !ets.%'eH 
of extinct sjjecies; all of Avhiclv.must have been silted down in still 
waters. An area of half a (U)/,en counties in Southeast Minnesota, of 
which Olmsted County is the most southerly and can show ancsesit 
headlands and shore lines, appears to have been the site of an inJantl 
fresh-water sea or lake which existed long enough to deiiosit these 
beds of sediment, some of which, notwithstanding the erosive ac'^on 
of the weather and the present ^streau-.s, are found 10 to 35 feet: in 
thickness. 

The school men tell us thai thp cutting down of the old valleviiin 



*The column of strata from highest to the lowf.st exposure, is a.s follows: 

Upper Mat;nesi.iii limestone I'^i Euct 

Upper Trenton do ]2/lfeet 

Green Shales H Tees. 

Lower Trenton do U f-M* 

St. Pet(!r sat:dstone IW &w« 

Lower Magnesism limefitono : . . .2t)t) Joel 

Total e-tltEf* 



THE YIELD FIVE TIMES GREATER THAN IN THE If. 
VALLEY OF THE NILE. 



the limestone, the damming up and partial refilling of them with 
fresh-water sediment, and then the newer valleys, sometimes not fol 
lowing the tracks of the old ones, are all mcidents of the "Tertiary 
epoch"'' in the geological features of our country. 

To justify the claim of having the most fertile natural soil known, 
let me add that a comparison from the United States Census for 1870 
and all available statistical authority shows us that no three counties. 




A. NELSON'S PALACE BLOQK, ROCHESTER, MINN. 
in the CTniofi liave at any time equalled our farm prodicction, either in 
Itb'k measures or in amount of sales for cash per head of population, 
by ts.i per cent. In wheat alone our product in the years named wat» 
more than five times greater than that given In statements of pro- 
duction in the Delta of the Nile!* 



10 WHY LANDS ARE FOR SALE. 

li farms in Ohi® and other eastern states were -worth $50 to $75 
pev acre, ours were worth as much, because we could with apparent 
certainty gain 10 per cent, net on tliat valuation at raising wheat. So. 
many farms changed hands at $40 to $50 per acre, and soiiie of the 
tlu'ifty buyers were able to pay for them out of a fe^v subsequent 
crops of grain. 

Let lue give you an instance or two out of scores of success pre- 
vious to the coming of the blight in this coiuitry. Mr. Albert Taylor, 
of Dover, bought 160 acres of wild prairie for |2,000— long time— 10 
per cent, interest — nothing down. He broke the land and raised 
three crops of wheat, in 1867-8-9, amounting to over 10,000 bushels, 
and received for all over $11,000.- He had no buildings and never liv- 
ed on the land; as all the neighbors, who were living on their farms. 
Avanted to annex this productive tract to their own, he was able tc) 
sell it, after the third crop, for $5,500 cash. 

Mr. Noonan, of Kalmar, harvested and sold 4,400 bushels of wheat 
as first crop from a brushy quarter section of land which had been 
held in low esteem. The soil is loess, but looked pale and unattrac- 
tive. 

Mr. D. Vaughn, of Viola, bought 40 acres of briTsh land, adjoining 
his homestead, for $800, and sold $1250 worth of barley from its first 
crop. 

It follows in human nature, that when a score or two of farmers 
in a neighborhood do this sort of thing and show proof of it in their 
surroundings, other scores and hundreds are ready to pledge what 
they have about them and all their future prospects for more acres. 
or for fine buildings, or for many things which afterward prove to be 
extravagance and folly. .Therefore, when the blight came in 1878, 
and the chinch bugs arrived next year to "gather where they had not 
sown,'' many grafn farmers were badly hurt. But neither blight nor 
bugs could discount the mortgages or stop interest, and the result, 
after three or four years of such ill-fortune, is that many have flitted 
away with what they could take to Dakota, and the creditors are bur- 
dened with more of the mortgaged land than they can profitably 
manage. 

Natui'a-lly, lands which were worth $25 to $40 per acre have fallen 
in price to $15 to $30 per acre; although reasonable crops of wheat 
are now made, renters and owners do not plow and sow as hopefully 
as before. Live stock pays indeed, but obviously the farmer deeply 
in debt, has not the capital necessary to make the shift, and if the 
absent owners put live stock upon their farms, depending upon the 
care of tenants or hired labor, the result is likely to be useful chiefly 
in showing another road to ruin. Broadly stated, when the circus is 
in town the cows will often be forgotten; and when the owner or an 
interested perspn fails to lead early and late in the hay field the fod- 
der will be poor. In fact, most of those who have merit at such em- 



AS A GfRAZING SECTION. 



ployiuent are already on ijlaces of their own: and it is not in human 
nature for the capable fellows who are ticketed for the wild Avest to 
ever stop short of that destination, if they were offered good farms al- 
ready fenced and stocked at government price, anywhere short of it. 

Now, since many of these farms are going a begging for buvers 
or good tenants, you may be ready to ask what they are really good 
for just now? 

You will be surprised to hear that the aggregate of results of ag- 
ricultural labor never showed better than now ; that the debts are be- 
ing rapidly reduced; that the number of mortgages made is but one- 
third as large as that of those cancelled and paid; and that the 
amount of farmers' money on deposit in our banks is larger than in 
the best wheat years, and steadily growing. There is less of the 
bonanza style of farming current; fewer of them run up accounts at 
stores of $1,000 to $1,500 a year; and although there are yet a few men 
who will sell a fat steer for 4c and trade it out in beef at a shilling, 
yet thrift is growing in fashion. Instead of devoting all their atten- 
tion to grain growing, and buying their cured meats and lard from 
Chicago as formerly, our county in 1883 exported four thousand tons 
of pork. 

Much of this improvement is due to rhe influence of men who 
were sagacious enough to begin seeding down a part of their lands 
to timothy, red top, blue grass and clover in the years when the 
wheat crops were at their best, to enable them to grow more cattle, 
horses and hogs. Many men have done well with sheep from the be- 
ginning, and say there has always been more profit in sheep for a 
term of years than in a similar term of years in wheat. 

But the grazers are proving that the crowning merit of our soil 
is its capacity to produce the quick growing nutritious grasses pecu- 
liar to only a few regions of the United States, viz: those whose sur- 
faces are in the horizon of the Silurian limestones, where the .soil is 
made up largely from the decayed remains of those rocks. The secret 
of profitable dairying in central New York, from Lewis to Orange 
county, is in the sweet grasses and pure water incidental to these and 
not to any other rock measures. The Lexington blue grass region of 
Kentucky, a few areas in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, 
liart of northeastern Iowa, and our own southeastern Minnesota, 
have their surfaces in these limestones. These are surface rocks up 
the south margin of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers as far west 
as Mankato. Your dairy region in "the Reserve" is in the horizon of 
the shales associated with coal bearing rocks: these reach south with 
few exceptions well into Georgia and Alabama. The debris makes a 
cold pasty soil, which bakes in a drouth, and your brooks have usu- 
ally turbid water which becomes slimy as suumier advances and is 
more or less malarious to domestic animals and men. Speckled-trout 
which were in all our streams could never live in yours. 



18 OUR EARLY SPRING. 

The warmth and fertility of limestone land as compared with the 
shale'lands of Ohio are found to be more than equal to the difference 
in latitude between Ohio and Minnesota. Three years ago this com- 
ing April I came from Georgia and east Tennessee to Rochester. I 
observed that cattle and sheep could not crop their living on natural 
pastures anywhere out of bottom lands, south, until I reached the 
limestone blue grass region of Kentucky, where the forage was abun- 
dant; but after leaving that limited area,and excepting portions in the 
few valleys near the Ohio river, I saw no green pastures across the 
whole length of Illinois or the rest of my trip until I reached middle 
Wisconsin. The grass was better from Baraboo west along the val- 
leys than at the same date in the southern states. I affronted my 
Tennessee friends by sending a tuft of Minnesota green grass, on my 
arrival, in a letter on 30th April. They felt that in justice to them we 
ought to have yet been covered in snow and ice. Some wheat farm- 
ers have in former years made a point of sowing a little wheat in Feb- 
ruary, Avhich certainly was rather straining a point. But wheat sow- 
ing is common enough in March. 

In March, 1871, I went from here to Boston by way of Montreal; I 
saw from the car window several persons sowing and dragging in 
wheat between here and Winona; but I saw next morning old snow 
well over the fields near Chicago; more at Detroit; more still at Tor- 
onto; and two feet of it at Montreal. And the highlands of central 
New York held large bodies of snow until it was removed about the 
middle of April by heavy spring rains and destructive floods. 

I will say in this connection that the snow blockades of Minneso- 
ta never cut any figure in this portion of the state. The region 
which furnishes the texts for newspaper paragraphs in that line is as 
far north of us as we are north of Columbus, or Philadelphia, or In- 
dianapolis. 

We learn from Blodgett's Climatology that the mean annual snow 
fall is fully twice as great at Cincinnati, O., as at FortSnelling, Minn. 
I lived 14 years in your regien and have been over 25 years here, and 
I like our winters much the best. We have smooth roads, little snow, 
seldom such winter thaws as leave you to wallow in the mud; every 
day favors out-door work. Steady dry cold is useful in removing the 
old year's growth of vegetation without malarious results; and tramps 
and horse-thieves leave us when they cannot "lie out." 

We know that summer fruits and forage are better for the winter 
frosts. Southern apples are insipid, southern cows give but little 
milk. The dairy products south are of little account. Northern 
breeds of cattle taken there dwindle and fail to pay. I have seen cows 
languish and starve in Alabama as I have never seen them in Minne- 
sota. And the lean and sallow country people there to whom 50 or 60 
years is great age, certainly cannot be matched here. 

You have observed that hogs in Ohio at slaughtering have ulcers 



HEALTHY STOCK AND SWEET BUTTER. 



19 



on their livers; that hogs over a year old are seldom without them. I 
think this is the rule along the 40th parallel as you go west. Can the 
flesh be as sweet? Is it just possible that the American hog is truly a 
little off quality from this reason in the foreign market? I have learn- 
ed from stock yard dealers in Chicago, who were unwilling to be 
quoted as dispraising the products of their Missouri and Kansas pat- 
I'ons, that northern Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota hogs were much 
the best. They gave the sweetest flesh; and a packing house dealing 
in supplies from these sources alone would soon command the best 




GRACE CHURCH— UNIVERSALIST, ROCHESTER, MINN. 
ERECTED 1876. PROPERTY WORTH #15,000. SOCIETY PROSPEROt^V 



markets. It is known that thousands of tons of dressed hogs front 
these northwestern regions are yearly shipped from Milwaukee to 
Irish ports for cutting and curing as Irish bacon, hams and lard for 
the English markets, and no fault is ever found with them. It is never 
suspected as being American! 

The viscera of our hogs and cattle are nearly always sound and 
healthy. The food and water are from pure sources. You have oftei> 



20 OUR BUTTER AT SEA. 

seen these pustules on the hver of a fatted cow or steer in Ohio. I 
have, and can leadily understand why your dairy products should 
rarely be first quality or bring the best prices in the large markets. A 
cow with an ulcerated liver is a bad factor for the dairyman, and 
many such are, or were formerly, to be found on the Reserve. If this 
istatement is new to you I refer you to the butchers in most any of the 
Ohio towns for its verification. The Western Reserve has been dairy- 
ing thirty years, we barely ten, and our dairy products are second to 
none in the esteem of dealers. Many of us are as much surprised at it 
as we were a few years ago to learn that Minnesota flour had become 
the fashion all over the southern states and Europe. The leading 
fsreamery in this county is able to sell its butter in advance at highest 
"Xew York City prices delivered simply on cars here for Shipment. 

Last year at Boone, Iowa, I overheard a New York dealer talk- 
ing with others, say that his house had supplied a government steam- 
er with butter from Olmsted county, Minn. ; that what was left of it 
after an 18 months' cruise was taken into store and on examination it 
proved to be of better quality than any thej' had ever seen which had 
T>een so tested. This dealer did not know that any Minnesotian was 
in hearing. 

Our farmers believe a cow can be well kept on three acres of land 
per year; some very good pastures support one cow per acre for the 
summer. The Western Reserve Dairymen's Association of your State 
says three and one-half acres per cow is required there. I have seen 
red clover on second rate land here standing well over the ground 
with no Avinter killed spots in it at ten years from its first seeding. 
"SVliite clover and blue grass, as well as Alsike clover, volunteer, and 
1 have never seen any other region of country where these aids to 
civilization have been able to overcome and root out dog fennel and 
ragweed as they do here. Ciood authority among farmers teaches 
©f Alsike clover that "you never need to sow it but once." i have 
seen it volunteer and pretty well cover abandoned grain fields, and 
am part owner of one hundred and sixty acres of such land which 
was rented out last season to pasture seven hundred sheep; not a 
pound of seed had been sown. 

When you have settled it that only certain soils are suited to the 
tlairy interest and that the area of such lands is not one-tenth of the 
United States, and that some states have none of them, you will con- 
clude that the business cannot be overdone. Don't make the mistake 
of supposing that the western cattle ranges are in any sense cow-pas- 
Tures. They develop animal tissues, but not milk. The ranchmen 
only claim to raise beef. Most of the counties in Minnesota and Da- 
kota can boast of nutritious grasses, but only a few of them will be 
really successful in making butter and cheese. 

I will add that our count>' of Olmsted has had no debt for twenty 



OUR (tENeral prosperity. 



?-1 



years; its treasury is good for all orders on demand. It has its roads, 
bridges, and public buildings, including 141 public school houses, and 
is well past the vulture period, which is the crucial time for new 
countries; when professional organizers precede the settler andj vot** 
bonded debts for fat jobs to themselves. 

Our tax rate this year for state, county, general, scHiool, and poor 
purposes is only 43c per $100. Including all local and special taxes 
the sum is $1.30. Our poor expenses are only 15e per head of the 
whole population; this is said to be the lowest cost for support of poor 
in this or any state. The mere question of daily bread never comes 




CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, ROCHESTER, MINN. 
ERECTED 1864. COST $13,500. SOCIETY PROSPEROU 



50 close home here as I have several times seen it in Ohio, and the ef- 
fort to win it is a very slight tax on the vital energies. Bread and 
meat only in small part represent necessities of life. Most of the des- 
titution which clamors for aid demands groceries or cash. Most of 
the pauperism in summer is represented by tramps, many of whose 
troubles are soothed by cash enough to buy their whiskey; food can 
usually be had without labor, always without cash. 

The last question you ask, about our tornado, I have less pleasure 



YES WE HAD A TORNADO. 



in answering. It was a calamity which cannot be foreseen nor pre- 
vented, and no one can say if we may or may not be again visited. 
Tornadoes are common over all the states, but it was our crowning- 
misfortune, as at Cirinnell, Iowa, in 1883, and Racine, Wis., last spring, 
to have it steered across a part of our town with fatal effect to many 
dwellings and people. This is the first tornado I have seen during 25 
years here. 

In 1859 or 1860 I visited the track of a tornado at Braceville, Avest 
of Warren, O., which was quite as severe as this at our place as shown 
by destruction of R. R. depot and warehouse, but as no people were 
caught in its path, the impression on the public mind was slight. In 
May, 1844, another tornado crossed the east part of Vernon. O., de- 
stroying only timber and farm property, but the wind storm was as 
fierce as ours of last August. In the Adirondack region of New 
York I have visited the tracks of a dozen such storms where the de- 
struction of timber i^roved the same power of wind. If you can recall 
the fac^s of the one at Waterbury, Conn., last summer you Avill admit 
that it was as vigorous as'ours. Only a feAv days ago a friend at Man- 
chester, England, sent lis a neAvspaper describing a storm in Novem- 
ber last, where dwellings were destroyed and as many people crushed 
and killed as here. Macauby is reported as saying that early in the 
last century 3,000 people were killed l^y a wind storm in the city of 
London. 

Dr. Sanborn, of this city, decided last September to remove with 
his family to Springfield, Mo., i^artially influenced perhaps by hnpres- 
sions of the calamity he had recently witnessed and the serious dread 
of possible others. Y^ou must imagine their feelings on arrival there 
at seeing just a repetition of the wreck he had left, which had occur- 
red only the day before. Judging from the United States signal office 
reports, Kansas and Illinois have suffered more from these storms by 
far than Minnesota ; but people do not abandon their places there in 
consequence, neither do you discover that lands or lots are reduced 
in price afterward. 

A factory or tenement house burns; almost daily a train of passen- 
ger cars or an ocean vessel may be wrecked with great loss of life and 
all attendant horrors ; but people rebuild hopefully as ours do in 
the one case, and continue to travel by railroads and ocean steamers 
none the less eagerly because of wyeck and danger. 



■Note to page 15. 

Ttii? U. S. Commiissioner of Agriculture, Mr. Newton, in 1874 rejected the returns of 

us reporters on the crop of this state for ISe."), saying that the ratio of production to the 
iiu:ii>)i'r of people was beyond all known precedent, and could not be correct. That the 

•xa .Iteration was so uniform in the dozen or so of the then wheat counties to suggest an 
•lyrccil plan, which he was sure was contrived in the interest of land speculators. He re- 
jjorted. our state at 3,2.J0,il00 bushels wheat. Afterwards it was proved that over 5,000,(XKi 

msnels of tlie year's crop was marketed and settled for at the several warehouses of the 
river towns. 



OUR LOCATION. 23 



Southeastern Minnesota, 

The following- lecture, delivered Feb. 21, 1884. by the Rev. W. C. Rice, 
ill the Rochester Seniiiiary Lecture Course, will be found of interest to the 
reader: 

I begin my talk to-night witli the feeling that your presence here and 
interest in this lecture is on account of the cause in belialf of which the 
lecture is given. For myself, I have been moved in the preparation of 
this production by a pardonable pride in tlie highly favorec! section of our 
great country we call home. 

To be here', and to understand our surroundings and our possibilities, is 
enough to inspire everyone with those feelings of admiration and aiTection 
for the LAND which results in i)atriotism. To have been here from the 
beginning of the einpire thai now is, anil to have watched its evolution; 
to have seen grow out of the soil all these cities, with their wealth of store, 
factory, and mart, these iiamltes with their comfoi't, and privilege of homes, 
and schools, and churches, aii<l the tens of thousands of farms, with their 
comfortable and commodious dsvellings and barns; their valuable stock, 
their growing orchards, etc., is a privilege for which I am devoutly 
thankful. 

I shall speak perhaps more of processes than of results, because we are 
in the infancy of our gi'owth and ought to think more of what we can 
do than of what we have done, because our resources lie in our indu.stry. 
1 shall speak by comparison and contrast, not with a view of belittling 
any portion, of our state, but si!ni)ly to show wliat our resoni'ces are and 
what possibilities w^e have in (HU- keeping. I shall not give figures ex- 
pectini.r that you will r'-iiieaiber tliem bat for the sake of impressing 
you with the idea of the uiaguiliciMit heritage which is ours. 

That portion oi the state to which I invite your attention lies between 
the Mississippi river on the easr and the Minnesota rivei- on the west, as 
far as the big bend in the latter named stream above Mankato, and a 
line drawn from that point directly south to the Iowa line, whicli latter 
line bounds the portio'n in (pie.stion on the south. It lies between the 43^; 
degree and the 45 degree of north latitude and the 16 degree of longitude 
west from Washington cuts through its center. Its latitude is the same as 
That of central and northern New York and northern Massachusetts, 
but its climate is modified by various causes among which, its distance 
from the sea, its altitude, its surface, and its relation to the great prairies 
and Rocuy mountains, are among. the most noticable, so that there is not 
the similarity in climate with the localities named that might at first 
thought be inferred. Its distance from the sea and other large bodies 
of water and its nearness to the western plains give it a remarkably dry 
and bracing atmos{)here. On the other hand the water surface of the 
state and timbered areas, and wind currents secure to it a liberal rainfall 
so that there is no lack of moisture to insure the most lavish growth of 
vegetation and a bountiful yield for the replenishing of streams and 
other sources of water supply. Its area comprises seventeen of the sixty-eight 
organized counties of the state and contains 6,483,916 acres of the 54,363,- 
600 acres, exclnr-ive of lakes, in the state. This is equal to one-ninth of 
the area of the state, or in square miles it is 9,260. It does not embrace 
either St. Paul or Minneapolis. 

The first settlements in this portion of Minnesota were made in 1850, 
but it was not until 1854 that the work of occupying these fertile acres 
bea-an in earnest. Previous to that time evervone in coming to Minneso- 



34 'IS OUR SOIL BOUNTIFUL OR NI^GARDLT." 

ta had aimed at St. Paul as the point from which, or about which settle- 
ments could be made, and because of tliis the country north and west and 
southwest trom St. Paul was occupied before a thought had been given 
to the southeastern portion of the state. Thus St. Paul, St. Anthony, 
Stillwater, Taylors Falls, Point Douglass, and other towns were flourishing 
villages before Winona, Rochester, Owatonna. Austin, and the other towns 
of this part of Minnesota had been named. But in 1855 tlie tide turned 
in this direction. In 1856 it became a flood, and the people poured in by 
thousands, bringing their flocks, and teams, their agricultural implements 
a.nd household goods with them and at once entered upon the work of re- 
claiming the wilderness, and of building an empire upon these wastes. So 
energetic were the people, and so generous the soil, that within two 
years after the first settlements, the importation of food ceased and the 
exportation of grain and other products began. 

To one who passes through our thriving and populous towns and our 
closely settled country, it seems incredible that only thirty-three years 
have passed since the first white man claimed an acre of this prosperous 
region. And that less than twenty-five years ago more tlian one-half of 
southeastern Minnesota was still government land. And when we reflect 
that soon after these settlements began, the war broke out, and that the 
youthful state but three years in the Union, and with a population of but 
172,000 all told, sent 25,052 men to the field, one of every seven of the entire 
Ijopulation, while the average for the entire north was one in twelve. We 
are amazed at such development. Besides this one of the most serious 
uprisings of the Indians, and one of the most terrible massacres in the 
history of the country, occurred in close proximity to this section, driying 
hundredsof people from southern Minnesota, and intimidating thousands 
from coming hither. And yet despite these burdens and the fact that cheap 
lands just at our doors have not only diverted emigration from us but has 
drawn hundreds and thousands of our young and vigorous people away, 
still our population in southeastern Minnesota in 1880 was 315,544. 
This is almost twice the population of the whole state in 1861, and v/as 43 
per cent of the entire population of che state in 1880. Best of all, our poeple 
are industrious, intelligent and prosperous. 

What is their possession? What are the advantages which they pos- 
sess? What reward incites their toil, and what heritage may they leave to 
their children? 

Our country is agricultural. Our wealth is in our soil. Primarily we 
have no other source of wealth. Then what is our soil? Is it bountiful or 
niggardly? Is it enduring or perishable? Is it still fertile or is it ex- 
haust3d? To those who live here, whether they till the soil or live by 
any other means, this is an important question. For it is the founda- 
tion of all our growth, the spring of all our prosperity. We get money 
from no other source, and for years to come this must remain true. We 
shall not in this generation supply by our labor, any of the leading staples 
of manufactured goods. We must look to o<-her sections for these, xind 
the equivalent which we must give for these must come out of the soil in 
the form of grains and fruits, and grass, and their products in flour, 
and stock, and dairy products, and wool and meats. And when we speak 
of the resources of southeastern Minnesota we mean particularly the soil 
and its products. What, then, is our soil? As to its constituent elements 
we repl}', it is first lake, or pond muck, which is composed of the silt, 
or sediment of decomposed or worn rocks, mingled with vegetablegrowth. 
This indicates that this region was at one time covered with water. This is 
taught not onlj'^ by the character of the soil but by the configuration of 
the country as well. At some time in the past there existed a vast inland 
lake extending from the Red River Valley to within fifty miles of lake 
Michigan, seven hundred miles long with an average width of one hun- 



ONCE UNDER WATER. 



(Ired and twenty luiie.s. For ati indefinite time the outlet of this lake 
was into the Missouri river, with the overflow wliich that outlet could 
not carry throu;;h the Mississippi river at Rock Island. The ledLre of 
rocks which cause the rapitis in the Mississippi at that point, formed the 
rim of the lake on the south. Eitlier by the jjradual wearing; of the rocks, or 
by soir.e convulsion of nature, i)robably the former, the opening in the 




SMITH BROS . JEWELRY STORE, ROCHESTER, MIKX. 

lake was entirely drained, and the bed of the Mississippi was formed. 
After the lake was drained so that the hij^hest points of the tableland 
were exposed, it remained stationary for a long time. Tbis is shown^by 
the shore line distinctly traceable on "the south side of every bluff in [,all 



2G NO WASTE LAND IN OUR COUNTY. 

this region of country. Above that shore line there are no fossils of the 
Mollusk family in the lime rock, but just below that line the rock is cov- 
ered with those fossils. I have counted twenty-three perfect fossils 
of clam, periwinkle, and similar shells upon a slab of limestone ten by 
twelve inches in size. During: this period the action of the water upon 
the surface of these plastic hill sides carried down from them iunnense 
quantities of the corroded lime stone which had not yet hardened, forming 
a deposit called by yeolo^ists loess, which sisrnifies deposited by the action 
of water. This is spread over the country so evenly that there is scarce- 
ly an acre of these seventeen counties but that is valuable land. That this 
is so is seen in the fact that ninety-seven per cent of all the land in these 
counties is asst^fesed in the returns from "the several townships. Think 
of it, cnly 257,934 acres out of 6,483,916 acres but that the owners are williuir 
to be taxed upon. And much of this three per cent is becominjc valuable 
for the timber which is growing up since the prairie lires have 
ceased to destroy it. This sedimentary deposit varies of course in thick- 
ness, but over a large part of this area it is from ten to thirty-live feet 
HI depth, and every inch of this depth is productive soil. Though it may 
wear away by the action of water upon its surface, you have but to turn up 
new soil and expose it to the effect of the sun, and air, and it gives an im- 
mediate and bountiful return in grass or grain. 

In the winter of 1857-8 a- well was sunk to a depth of forty feet on my 
fatlier's faruj, four miles west of Rochester. Thirty feet below the 
surface branches of trees and leaves, mingled with earthly sediment, were 
taken out. The clay from the well was left lying in a heap as it was 
placed when removed from the well. The second year after the well was 
<lug, wheat was sown in the field where the \vell was located, and the 
seed was scattered upon the mound of clay near the well, and the harrow 
passed over it. Tiie growth of tiie wheat upon the clay bank was 
abnormal. Heads were gathered fron.i that mound which measured eight 
inches in length and were well filled with kernels of unusual size. This 
shows the inexhaustible nature of our soil. Remove every particle of vege- 
table loam from our farms, and by exposure and cultivation tlie subsoil is 
capable of the most abundant vegetable growth. This is a peculiarity be- 
longing to few localities in the United States, and it is one of the crowning 
excellencies of our soil. 

Upon this bed of sediment composed of the best soil elements in na- 
tures repertory tliere has been deposited by the proscess of growth and 
decay, a covering of vegetable mold of an average thickness of about ten 
inches. This is for present purposes our soil. That it is productive every 
farmer and observer knows. That it is exhaustible without proper man- 
agement no one will deny. That it is inexhaustible with proper culture, 
every thinking man admits. That it is exhausted, notwithstamliug a most 
vicious method of farming has prevailed in this section of the country for 
twenty years, is claimed only by those who, wedded to wheat raising, 
Avere either too shiftless or too poor to vaiy the order ot their farming. 
Such farming which draws upon a single element of the soil for twenty 
successive seasons without replacing a particle of that element by arti- 
ficial means, or allowing nature to do so by her means, is indeed exhaus- 
tive. It exhausts the soil and thank heaven it exhausts the tiller of the 
soil as well, that he may by adversity be taught the lesson which a 
beneficent providence by kindness could not teach unthankful pupils. 
To show that our soil is not exhausted, but that it is capable under 
improved metiiods, of greater results than ever, I ask your attention to 
some figures. I intend these to perform a double task." First, they show 
that we have yet, after thirty years of constant and unrewarded cropping, 
a soil as fertile as is found in the world. And second, they institute a 
comparison to show that Minnesota's greatness as an agricultural state lies 



THE POOREST CROPS IN OUR HISTORY. 



27 



in this little corner of which I ^peak. I select the year 1881 to furnish these 
figures, because that was the darkest hour for southeastern Minnesota. It 
was the time when so many lost faith in tliis countrj' and eitiier left for other 
fields or a';cepted tlie statement '"that southeastern Minnesota was played 
out" with a silence that signified assent. It is proper to say that for five 
years preceding tlie year 1881, millions of dollars, which were the sur- 
plus accumulations of ]>rofitable agricultural investment directly or in- 
directly, were carried abroad for investment, elsev/here. Olmsted coun- 
ty alone in that six years, it is estimated, enriched other portions of our 
state outside of that under our consideration by more than $1,200,000 in 








FIRST SCANDINAVIAN LUTHERAN CHURCH, ROCHESTER, MINN. 
BUILT 1881. VALUE $4,000. FLOURISHINa CONDITION. 



cash, beside the richer contributions of brain and muscle which has added 
to the wealth of other sections. Yet after this drain upon our resources, 
almost all of which grew out of our soil, or was developed upon it. in the 
year 1881 43 per cent of The entire population and 41 per cent of the 
assessed valuation of the state, was in this one-ninth of its area. ^Ve 
talk of our poverty, yet in 1881 we assessed ourselves to the amount of 
$82.40 for every man, woman and cliild. This was but one-half of our 
actual wealth, saying notiiing of our public property, such as churches, 
court houses, school housf^s. roads, bridges, &a., which are not assessed, 
but are as truly the possession of the people and as important for individ- 
ual interests as are the home and farm, or store or shop. Then look at 
the productions in that poorest of years. Southeastern Minnesota iDro- 



THE DIVERSITY OF OUR RESOURCES. 



duced that year, of wheat, 7,260.570 bushels; oats, 10,927,481 bushels; corn, 
9,773,781 bushels; barley, 2,952,344 bushels; rye, 63,599 bushels; potatoes, 
3,280,559 bushels; flax, 84,691 bushels; beans, 10,549 bushels; timothy seed, 
86,972 bushels; clover seed, 25,238 bushels; sor^ihuin syrup, 368,671 gal 
Ions; tame hay, 187,142 tons; wild hay. 284,318 tons; honey, 86,485 pounds; 
maple lugar, 37,131 pounds; {rrapes, 139,961 pounds; tobacco, 48,115 pounds; 
butter, 7,292,645 pounds; cheese, 555.438 pounds, and had 15,799 acres in 
crops not enumerated. There were 176,091 bearing apple trees; 122.665 horses: 
237,737 cattle; 86.611 sheep; 402,146 pounds of wool and 160,978 hogs. 
This was the product and wealth of this little "played out" corner in the 
poorest year we ever had in our history. 

Now, to show our relative importance, let us note these facts by way 
of comparison. Southeastern Minnesota raised in that year 35 per cent 
of all the wheat; 50 per cent of the oats; 66 per cent of the corn; 53 per 
cent of the barley; 38 per cent of the rye; 57 per cent of the potatoes; 19 
per cent of the flax; 47 per cent of the beans; 87 per cent of the timothy and 
clover seed;54percentof the sorghum; 81 per cent of the tame and 23 per 
cent of the wild hay; 60 per cent of honey; 55 per cent of the maple susrar; 
61 per cent of the grapes; 61 per cent of the tobacco; 61 per cent of the 
butter; 84 per cent of the cheese, and had 67 per cent of all garden and 
root crops grown in tlie whole state. She had 71 per cent of the bearing 
apple trees; 45 per cent of the horses; 38 per cent of the cattle; 40 per cent 
of the sheep; 43 percent of the wool; and 60 percent of the hogs in the 
whole state. So that in 30 of the 25 leading items of agricultural pro- 
ductions in the state this one-ninth produced more than 40 per cent and 
in 17 of the 35 items more than 50 per cent of the entire amount. And 
this remarkable showing is not due to the fact that the area of cultivated 
lands is larger, but the statistics show that in five of the nine leading grain 
crops, including wheat, the average per acre in this region exceeded 
that of the state as a whole. 

But while our wealth as represented in dollars, lies chiefly in our soil it is 
not to be inferred that this is all that we have to make life desirable. 
Another resouixe of our section of the state is found in its stones and 
clays. While tn| country is new, and timber is abundant, the value of 
these is not so apparent" But as industry becomes diversified, it is seen 
that no insignificant part of our population will derive their living from 
this source of Avealth. The varieties of stone are lime and sand stone. 
These are found distributed quite evenly over this entire area, and are 
among the best of these varieties for building purposes. Already the quar- 
rying of lime stone and the burning of lime are important sources of in- 
come in many sections, and the Red Wing, Mankato, Mantorville. Winona 
and Kasota quarries, are known throughout the northwest. Excellent sand 
for plastering, for walls and for glass is found|in yarious localities and at 
points convenient for distributing the product of their quarries wnile there 
is hardly one farm in all this part of the state, that is five miles from good 
.stone and sand quarries. As timber becomes scarcer and as the country 
reaches an age where permanency will characterize the improvements, 
these are items which cannot be overesthnated among our resources. 
The same is true of clays, which are of superior quality and in abundant 
supply. The potterv clay of Goodhue, the cement of Blue Earth, and 
the brick clay found in the vicinity of every town in all this region indi- 
cate the near approach of the time when capital will seek these sources 
of wealth and enrich the country with investment and results. 

Our timber is found to be not only in generous supply, but in equal dis- 
tribution. Not only along the streams as in most prairie countries, 
but scattered all over the highest lands, there are groves of timber 
which modify the winds, and alford wood and timber to the people. And 
this timber is increasing in quantity year by year. Our soil, unlike that of 



OUR CLIMATE MISUNDERSTOOD. 21» 



the prairies of the south and west, is naturally adapted to the jjfrowth of 
timber, ami but litth^ ti-ouble is necessary to secure not only timber 
belts for protection, but for fencing- and iirevvooci. And where the timber 
is removed, reproduction is rai)id. I have this winter had The timber out 
on two acres of kind \vhicl> in the winter of 1863, and 'G3 was entirely 
cleared off. Thp result of the 21 years }::rowth was 72 cords, or 36 cords 
to the acre. The timber v.-as of the pin oak and poplar varieties. It is 
estimated that it requires, on an averai^e in the United States, for all 
varieties of timber, one and one-fourth acres of woodland to produce 
a cord of wood per year. But experiments show tliat in this reyion one 
acre of average woodland will produce a growth of a cord per year. 

And while timber will never become an article of export, we shall 
have an abundance for home supply, and for all time for use in certain 
kinds of manufacture. The natural aolaptation of our soil to the growth 
of timber, makes the cultivation of fruit and ornamental trees a matter of 
ease and profit, as compared with ordinary prairie countries. 

Another element of prosperity and healthfulness, is our abundant, well 
distributed and wholesome water sujjply. Our water is entirely free 
from any tauit of alkaline substances antl nuilarial infection. There is 
scarcely a township that has not a clear pure stream of living spring 
water flowing through it, while everywhere wells of pure water are obtained 
at slight expense. Tliis is an important item in tlie possibilities of 'our 
live stock interests. I claim after careful reading, and talking with 
men from all the leading sections of our country, that there is no region 
in the entire land where stock are as healthy as in this part of our state. 
A natural grass soil, a climate free from drouths in summer, and from 
rain and sleet in winter, water abundant, cool, clear, and groves which 
afford shelter from winds, all combine to nuike stock raising profitable 
and pleasant. 

The formation of our country is such, that the cutting down of the 
uiver channels frequently exposes ledges of rocks, which form water- 
falls which utilized, becoiue valuable additions to our resources. There 
are one hundred unimproved water powers in these seventeen counties. 
that with the natural development of this country, will, within twenty-five 
years, Tcompel the profitable investment of $1,000,000 and will add $100,- 
000 yearly to the net rewards of industry. 

Perhaps no other feature of this country is more presistently misun- 
derstood and consequently misrepresenteei than our climate. That it is 
cold in the winter we do not denj'. Yet whether severe cold is more un- 
comfortable or deleterious than severe heat is by no means certain. 
Our climate is remarkable in summer for clearness and in winttr for drj-- 
ness. Our distance from great bodies of water is one cause of thisinununity 
from summer lOgs and winter rains. The annual average fall of rain is 
35.50 inches, and two-thirds fof this occurs in the months of June, July, 
August and September. Owing to the same causes which makes winter 
rains and fogs unknown the snow fail is light as compared with the 
same latitude farther east, both in quantity and density. 

This applies especially to the southeastern part of the state. This sec- 
tion is especially favored by the existance of a large body of timber 
lying across its entire northwestern side, which exerts a marked influ- 
ence upon the winds in the winter. Those wlio have spent much time in 
the country directly west of here, on the western side of the big woods, 
have remarked the greater prevalence and severity of the winds. The 
trains on all the roads in southeastern Minnesota are troubled 
far less with Snow than are the roads east and south. Wagon roads admit 
of almost continuous teaming with heayy loads during the entire winter, 
distributing business more evenly through the year than is common in 
any country with which I am acquainted. During the present win- 



30 HEALTH A GREAT SOURCE OF WEALTH. 

ter there has been but three days when men and teams could not work 
with comfort, and the same is true of our winters year by year. 

As a result of the salubrity and clearness of our climate the health 
of our people is on the average superior to that of people in lower 
latitudes. Miasmatic diseases are unknown. In 1881 the deaths from 
all causes were but 6.7 in one hundred people, and quite a percentage 
of these were of invalids who came to our country too far gone with lung 
and throat diseases. Not only is the death rate low, but people enjoy im- 
munity from diseases which sap their strength and subject them "to the 
expense of time and money that are incident with people living in malar- 
ious climates. To the laboring man this is an important considera- 
tion. For labor is capital. A sick man cannot labor, but a healthy 
man is master of any situation. The difference in the producing power of 
a thousand men in a climate entirely free from the enervating effects of 
extreme heat and cold, and the debility incident to all malarial coun- 
tries, and that of a thousand men in a climate where those conditions 
exist, is a very material item in estimating the resources of a community. 
No matter what the mans calling, he must have health to succeed. And 
this our people enjoy. It is rare for a man in middle life to be unable to 
pursue kis calling with vigorous application during three hundred days 
in eyery year. 

The invalidism of our section is not a product of our home growth. It is 
a contribution of disability from less healthful climes. And many a man 
and woman, broken and shattered in health by the unfavorable conditions 
of eastern and southern climates, has had now lease of life and vigor grant- 
ed by residence in southeastern Minnesota. And the rapid develop- 
ment of oiir resources is largely due to the fact that men are strong to 
labor while they breathe this air, and feed themselves with the "finest 
of the wheat," and regale themselves with the sweetest water that is found 
in America. 

But lest I tire your patience I pass from the considerations of a purely 
material nature, to the intellectual and moral forces and resources of our 
estate. For a country that does not produce men and women is poor 
mdeed. What are then our resources in the line of intellectual develop- 
ment? 

There are in these seventeen counties 1863 public school houses. That 
is one public school building to every 234 mhabitants. In these buildings 
there are 3165 teachers employed, or one teacher to every 145 people. In 
these schools are gathered for some portion of the year, 83,188 pupils, or 
one to less than four of the people. Of these school districts 39 are in- 
dependent and maintain graded schools, most of them academic 
grades. There are also in this territory two normal schools, three suc- 
cessful colleges, and seven academies. So that the facilities for a common 
school and indeed of an academic education is within the reach of 
every youth, and that, too, without the expense of tuition. 

Fifty-five newspapers are supported, besides a patronage of tens of 
thousands of names to papers published else were. By these means are 
the rising generation furnished intellectually, and the people instructed 
in the affairs of the day and with the discoveries, inventions, theories and 
improvements of human thought, and its appliances. 

I have not been able to ascertain the exact number of church build- 
ings, but there are more than 400 of these, many of them being buildings 
of imposing appearance, commodious dimensions, and elegant finish. Be- 
sides these, throughout the country, there are school houses where relig- 
ious services are held by different denominations. As a rule religious 
societies are out of debt and are financially prosperous. 

Of our seventeen counties, thirteen have court houses that are superior 
to those of the majority of counties in the older states. 



OLMSTED COUNTY FOR 1881 AND 1883. 31 



Now if "a penny saved is a penny earned," it follows that all of these 
public buildings with their appointments and furnishings, become au 
important item in the resources of the people. A man owning a farm 
in this part of Minnesota, should regard his farm as worth over and 
above what the land would be worth without these improvements, in the 
county where it is situated. That is, the taxes levied on the land and 
contributed by the owners to aid in making these improvements, should 
be added to the original value of the land in a state of nature, in addition 
to the improvements on the land itself. Now here are these thousands of 
school houses, hundreds of churches, and hundreds of bridges, and miles of 
roads that are built, and mostly paid for, which become part of the finan- 
cial as well as social, judicial, and educational resources of the people. 
In other words, a man does not need so large an income from his farm or 
business to make him comfortable, as he would if all these necessities 
were to be provided and paid for out of that I)usiness, or oflf from that farm. 

With regard to manufactures I am sorry that time did not permit me to 
obtain figures showing the results of capital inves'^ed in these enterprises. 
We are, of course, in the infancj' of our manufacturing industries, yet we 
are accomplishing much in that direction. Prominent in this line of 
course are our flouring mills; wliich number more than one hundred and 
lifty, many of them having a capacity of from 500 to 1,000 barrels per day. 
There are in all twenty-one saw mills, those along the Mississippi river be- 
ing as fine as any in the northwest. There is a foundry and machine shop 
in every town having a population of 1,500 or more, and these shops supply 
almost everything in the way of castings and machines that are used 
by our people. Besides these, furniture factories, potteries, planing mills, 
plow shops, wagon factories, harvester works, brick and tile making] 
lime burning, pump making, tanning, boot and shoe and glove and har- 
ness making, butter and cheese making, coopering and agricultural lua- 
chinerv fengages the attention and labor of one-sixth of our men and 
two-fifths of our capital aside from land values. To bring the materials 
used in these various factories to the shops and to distribute the articles to 
the trade, we have in the 11,000 square miles of our territory over 
1,200 miles of roadroad, which is so laid that there is hardly one farm 
that does not lie within less than fifteen miles of a railroad station. 
This with the superior facilities for good wagon roads everywhere, gives 
to the people the easiest possible conditions for marketing their pro- 
duce and for conveying to their farms needful supplies. 

My talk has been upon general topics, and so superficial that it may 
seem vague. The brief time allotted to a lecture, and the fact that these 
matters as they relate to Oimsted countv in particular, have been writ- 
ten upon in detail by men well qualified by observation, study, and 
experience, to write with scientific precision, and that their productions 
will soon be given to the public, have deterred me from attempting to do 
more than weave these surface thoughts and observations into a 
talk to engage the attention for an hour. If one of you shall go home 
to-night with a better impression of this favored spot, which contains the 
treasures of home to us and the possibilities of greater success to our 
children, than has blessed us, although we have no reason to com- 
plain, my purpose for this occasion has been fulfilled. 

As a supplement to the foregoing, which has dealt with the southeast 
ern part of the state, and to give the reader an intelligent idea of our coun- 
ty, as compared with those adjoining, we append the following article tak- 
en from the Rochester Post of a recent date: 

"Without boasting it can be said that Olms^^^ed county is the garden 
spot of Minnesota. Her natural advantages are many and varied. The 
soil is all good, and yet it is so diversified as to variety that all productions 
of this latitude grow here to perfection. The water is uniformly good. 



3-2 OUR tSLTRPLUS PRODUCTS FOR 1883. 



abundant, and easily obtained. The timber supi^ly is equal to that of most 
agricultural counties and greatly superior to most regions of the northwest. 
Stone quarries of good quality and easily reached are found in every part 
of the county. Each of these considerations is important in deciding-^ where 
to locate for a home. A study of the fourteenth annual report of the com- 
missioner of statistics for the state of Minnesota, gives some valuable facts. 
From that report we copy the following, which shows the products of Olm- 
sted county for the year 1881, the year of the poorest crops in our history, 
the latest reports that are compiled: 

Wheat, bushels H29,13(i Apples, bushels 9,8.57 

Oats, bushels hs7,4."):^ Grape vines, bearinj? 1,(509 

Corn, bushels ()M,tUi Grapes, pounds 5,719 

Barley, bushels .-t;r.,7iil Wool, pounds ,55,19t> 

Rye, bushels +,OfiH Butter, pounds H28,09;i 

Buckwheat, bushels 1.81;« Cheese, pounds l.")9,28() 

Potatoes, bushels 120,()47 Bees, number of hives 418 

Beans, bushels 72'2 Honey, pounds 8,11:! 

Sugar cane syrup, gallons 19,iUi.) M.iple su.srur, iiouiuls 30(> 

Cultivated hay, tons 19.S17 Maple syrup, srallons 108 

Flax seed, bushels 7,7S2 Tobacco, pounds 23,212 

Wild hay, tons 12.1)15 Land surface, acres 120,121 

Timothy seed, bushels l!i,72i ' Taxable land, acres 118,S8k 

Clover seed, bushels (5,liy3 Taxable valuation, real and personal 

Apple trees, growing 12 1, SO*) property !S2,08t,2.>") 

Apple trees, bearing . . . 1-'),70S Number of farms 'S,V-,:', 

FARM STOCK FOR 1882. 

Number of milch cows (i,4'i2 Number of hogs 12,201 

Number of cattle, all ages, (including Number «f horses, all ages 9,3.57 

milch cows) 17,7(1:! Number of mules 221 

Number of sheep iri,18l 

By comparison with the taT)le of each county we learn that Olmsted 
county for the year 1881 produced more of the following crops than any 
other county in the state, viz: clover seed, wool, butter, cheese and tobac- 
co. Two counties, Fillmore and Goodhue, raised more oats; two counties. 
Fillmore and Houston, raised more corn; one county, Goodhue, raised more 
barley:two cou-nties, Goodhue andHennepin, more horses; four counties, Blue 
Earth, Fillmore, Goodhue and Htearns, had more cattle; one county, Fill- 
more, had more hogs. But when it is taken into account that of the coun- 
ties named each, with the e.xception of Houston, hare been settled as long, 
and have from 50,000 to 400,000 acres more land than Olmsted, it will be seen 
that, according to her acreage, Olmsted county raised more of every crop 
grown in Minnesota, and had more live stock of every kind than any coun- 
ty in the state. And further, the assessed valuationof the real property, 
leaving out Hennepin and Ramsey counties, which contain the cities of 
Minneapolis and St. Paul, is greater'in proportion to its area than that of 
any other county. The rapid development of the dairy interest and of gen- 
eral stock raising, during the last two years, has placed Olmsted 
county in the front rank in these industries, not only in Minnesota, but 
througliout the northwest. Under this ohange of policy, and through the 
growth of diversified farming, the county has already entered upon an era 
of prosperity that will speedily justify the faith of those who still believe 
that old Olmsted is better than Dakota as an abiding place."' [Since that 
date the number of milch cows in the countv has been increased to full 17,- 
000; cattle, all ages, fully 37,000; sheep not less than 23.000. There was mar- 
keted from this county, during 1883, not less than 20,000 hogs; 3,000 horses: 
2,000 beeves; 75,000 pounds of wool; 3,500 sheep, for breeding and mutton: 
1,500,000 pounds of butter, and 330,000 pounds cheese. And these figures 
are rather under the actual facts than otherwise. A most remarkable 
showing, is it not, for the stock intere.sts when we i-emember that this 
change from grain to stock has been AvhoUy made within the past five 
years, and mostly within three.— E. D. 8.1 



SM»_Ji. 



/ 







-L M 0, „R r 



£2? 




C. G. WHITE &CO., 

BLANK BOOK MAKERS, PRINTERS, 

AND BOOK-BINDERS, 

COUNTY AND BANK WORK A SPKCIALTY. 




■^'^imvm^ 



ORDERS SOLICITED. 



iOO AGENTS WANTED IN EACH STATE. 

Address with 2 cent stamp, for full particulars 
A $10 outfit for H, given to agents only. 

A complete report of the Southern Minnesotn 
Dairy Association will be sent to any address for 
6 cents in postage. 

C.G.White & Co., 

Mankato, Minn. 



LACK OF FAITH IN "WESTERN YARNS.' 



OLMSTED, 

THE GARDEN COUNTY 



To the eastern fanner who has spent the best years of his life try- 
ing to gather from a thin, cold and stony soil, the necessaries of life, 
whose labors year by year have beeif stone picking, manure hauling, 
weed cutting, and side hill ploM-ing; or even those more favorably lo- 
«,-ated, whose acres are comparatively level, but who from year to 
year must coax their crops with heavy coatings of fertilizers,the state- 
ments made in the preceding chapters or those which are yet to fol- 
low, miay seem well nigh incredible. But to the patient student of 
i' statistics, or to the person familiar with the facts, they are simply 
^ and only astonishing. 

•^ The writer is well aware of the feeling of incredulity which per- 

'' vades the eastern mind, and to wh.at extent statements pretaining 
~ ro the great northwest are regarded as '"v/estern yarns," told only for 
^ amusement or amazement. We are acquainted with the St. Paul 
■~ minister, who upon a visit to his boyhood home in Connecticut, was 
1^ invited to deliver a lecture to the people of his youthtime, and who 
was stopped in the middle of his talk and called a falsifier by one 
of his audience, because he had stated that the single state of Minne- 
L sota was as large as all New England; and who was called to account 
V by a lawyer who met him upon the street the following morning for 
^, having said that our state had five thousand lakes, and who, upon be- 
^ ing told by the reverend that he had put it mild the evening previous, 
,^ and said live thousand, when, to have told all the truth, he would 
__ have said seven thousand instead; whereupon his interrogator, with 
, "^ the exclamation "Grod!" upon his lips and a look of disgust in his face. 
"V turned upon his heel and left, thus signifying that he believed the 
K' minister had told a greater falsehood the second time than the first. 
1^ We knoAV the good, old Christian mother in central New York, who 
■s / wept over what she considered the untruthfulness of her son, as she 
Ljf sat with a company of his old schoolmates who called to give him a 
^ pleasant evening during his visit home, in the year 1882-3, after a five 
- years' residence in tlie great wheat country of the northwest, and lis- 
jy- :ened to a truthful narration of the manner in which wheat fields 
^ 'arger than the state of Rhode Island are cultivated, harvested and 



MILLIONS SENT TO ENRICH OTHER SP^CTIONS. 



^'arnered. It was beyond her conipi-ehension and her credulity, and 
confidence in her son was terribly shaken. 

And every day nearly we meet intelligent, well-read men from 
the eastern states Avho, after taking a thorough survey of the great 
northwest, candidly admit, that of its magnitude, of its astonishing 
developments, its wonderful capabilities and possibilities, they had 
not even the inost remote idea. 

And while to some extent we may excuse the reader for any feel- 
ing of incredulity he may have at first, regarding any statement here- 
in made, yet, as a child tt the east, talking to honest eastern men, Ave 
ask you to examine before you condenm, and to prove the statements 
false before you mentally pronounce them so. 

When we tell you that our soil has produced larger yields of grain 
for a longer period of time than any soil of which any record has been 
made; when we tell you that here, in Minnesota, and in Olmsted 
county, the productive power of man, his ability to labor, is one-third 
better than in any central, centraf western, or southern state: when 
we tell you that our soil is practically inexhaustible and the best 
known to geologists; that our climate is such that the laboring man's 
w^ages here stands as 3 to 2 against the eastern and southern states, 
and his doctor's bill as 3 to 1 in favor of our state; when we say that 
no statistical authoi'ity shows that anj^ like section has ever equalled 
in agricultural productions, i^er capita, our yield; when Ave tell you 
that the positive and actual Avealth of this county, which has been 
gathered from oxw soil during the past twenty-five years, stands in ex- 
cess of two hundred and fifty dollars for every man, Avonian and child 
in the county, and that, too, in addition to the millions that have 
been taken from the soil here and iuA'ested in Minneapolis and other 
sections of our country— for many a man is gathering from the soil 
here and building up and beautifying his old home yonder, thus re- 
ducing our pro rata wealth in a large degree; when we tell you that 
our soil, climate and water is such that our stock and our dairy pro- 
ducts haA-e gained for us a reputation better than that of any other 
section; and that, taken all in all, Ave belieA^e— and can give a reason 
for the faith that is in us— our section is positively the best and most 
faA'orable section known for health, for general and diversified farm- 
ing and stock growing, Ave but speak the truth, and Ave challenge^ 
successful contradiction. 

Our county has been settled but little more than a quarter of ji, 
century, but in that time it has made most wonderful advancement 
as has been already shoAvn. 

The county was organized xnider the territorial government in 
1855. It is composed of 18 toAvnships and a total area of 423,911 28-100 
acres. The area, population, and eleA^ation, general surface charac- 
teristics and settlement of each several township being given under 



SOIL AND SURFACE FEATURES. 



85 



its particular head, we shall only in a general way briefly notice a 
few of the chief features of the county here. 

In general surface feature it is that of a high rolling prairie, often 
cut across with streams whose banks are fringed with timber, w^hile 
frequent groves are scattered throughout the county. This timber^ 
which covered nearly one-third of the county formerly, is the bass- 
wood, sugar maple, red maple, soft maple, box elder, white ash, slip- 
pery elm, corky elm, white elm, black walnut, butternut, hickory, 
burr oak, white oak, jack oak, paper birch, American aspen, cotton 
wood, silver and lombardy poplar, locust, and a few white pine, is 
sufficient for all demands for fuel, fencing, etc., and furnishes abun- 
dance of shade and protection to all parts of the county. The diversi- 







MI.SS L. MAOOMBEE, LADIES FURNISHIXO GOODS. 

I. O. O. F. BLOCK. KRKCTED IN 1875. VALUE OF PROPERTY, 
$25,000. SOCIETY VERY PROSPEROUS. 



ty of field and wood, of stream and mead is such that the eye never 
tires of it as in prairie countries usually, and there is not a mile of its 
surface that does not afford varied and interesting scenes. To th e 
traveler it presents a panorama of most pleasing views, of which he 
can never grow weary. 

THE SOIL. 
The soil throughout the country is of a dark gray to black color, 
exceedingly friable and productive. It is from one and one -half to thre<- 
feet in dejDth, in many places even more, and rests upon a sub-soil of 



m , WE DON'T "PICK STONES/' 

;iimilar composition, but more compact and of lighter color. Tliis sub- 
soil varies from two to seven or more feet in depth, and, if possible. 
is even more productive than the surface soil. It is not uncommon 
to see grass and weeds spring up and grow luxuriantly on the excava- 
tions, eight to ten feet in depth, Avithin a short time after they are 
made. Hence it is that we claiiu our soil to be practically inexhaust- 
ible — although 27 successive croppings of wheat has exhausted, in a 
great degree, the wheat growing elements. Let the reader keep in 
mind the fact that we are talking of a section where fertilizing has 
never been resorted to. Both these strata of soil are composed main- 
ly of the finely comminuted detritus of various rocks, and contain 
admixtures of lime, soda, potash, alumina, and silica. The soil con- 
tains a large per centage of vegetable mould, and is rich in phosphor- 
ous and ammonia in soluable form, and there seems to be nothing- 
wanting that is necessary for plant food. Beneath these two strata 
of soil is to be found lime an^ sand stone in alternate layers. 

A noticable peculiarity of our soil is the remarkable quickness 
with which it brings vegetfition forward and hastens its growth from 
the time of planting till maturit}\ Strangers who come hither from 
the slower clayey soils of the south and east often express astonish- 
ment at this, and are likewise not a little surprised at the absence of 
clods. Another important feature is that our rocks are stored away 
in their proper place, feet below the surface, in compact masses, 
(•asily obtained by opening a quarry along the streams or at the 
liluflfs, but beyond the reach of the plow or reaper, and "stone jjick- 
ing'' has no place among the labors of the agriculturist in Olmsted 
Conntv. 

WATER. 

By a reference to the map it will be seen that the County is well 
cut, with streams, both for drainage and supply; living springs of cool, 
pure water of the best quality, often of larsre size, are frequent 
throughout the County. Evidence of which is seen in tdie numerous 
streams above referred to. Savs State Geologist Winchell in speaking 
of this County: "The phenomenon of a row of springs some distance 
up the sides of the bUiff, while the base of the bkiff furnishes no 
.springs, is by no means a rare one." This is because of the layer of 
clay which is water tight and lays a few feet below the surface and 
comes out to the face of the bluff over the edge of which the water is 
discharged into the valleys and streams below. Good wells of pure 
water in abundance can be procured anywhere in the County by 
«iigging to this chiy stratum, which is reached in some parts at from 
Twelve to iifteen feet. In other .sections it is found at greater depth. 
WATER POWERS. 

Good water powers are numerous through the County, there 
»eing in all no less thm twenty such, some twelve or thirteen of 
which are improved. These powers result from the large, number of 



MANY AND VALUABLE WATER-POWEKS. 



never failiiig^streains, the swiftness of their currents, and the favor- 
able nature of tlie banks and bottom. In wfitina: up the several 
townships and villages the powers have been noticed at len<;-th, hence 
a repetition of theui here will not be important. Suffice it that the 
County is more|than usually favored with these handmaids to in- 




FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ROCHESTER, MIA'N. ERECTED 
IN 1865. COST $8,000. SOCIETY PROSPEROUS. 



dustry and furnish a source of revenue wliieh in thet n(-ar future will 
add in no inconsidei-able manner to our general prosperity. 
OUR CLLAIATE. 
Reference has several times been made to our climate, but since 
nothing so affects the health and iiocltet-boolv, and through these 
channels exerts so powerful an influence over the moral and intel- 
lectual man, which in truth is all tliere is of humanity, a few words 
upon this subject here may not b;^ considered amiss. That tlie cli - 



HEALTH SEEKERS IN MINNESOTA. 



mate of this section is charmiii<^, is the universal verdict of every 
person, and has been repeated by tens of thousands for a quarter of a 
century. This charm lies in its tonic, and exhilarating influence. Oui-* 
air is not ladened with moisture, and does not absorb the heat of the 
body as in lower, damp, though warmer climates. With us the air is 
dry as well as tjure. Our mean elevation, as shown by Prof. Win- 
chell, the State Greologist, is about eleven hundred feet above sea 
level, and miasmatic vapors are unknown, as are all malarial troubles, 
while throat and lung difficulties are always helped in this climate, 
and thousands of consumptives; have been given a new lease of life 
by taking up their abode in this part of the northwest. Says the 
eminent Dr. W. W. Hall, of New York, in his "Fun better than 
Physic," page 13: "A man in consumption will more certainly get 
well in Greenland than in the West Indies. Dr. Kane was an invalid 
in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico in summer. Many considered him 
doomed for consumt)tion. In six months he was in Greenland, and 
after remaining tnere several years, exposed to all the rigors of the 
Arctic seas, he returned in better health than he had known for sev- 
eral years." Again, on pixge 45, he says: "Go to the cold, rarified 
mountain air to cure you of consumption, and not to the hot savan- 
nas of the south, where every breat^h you take is loaded with steam- 
ing moisture and d»'sease, engendering miasma, oppressing the sys- 
tem, taking away the strength and corrupting the blood at every 
respiration." That our climate is healthful in the extreme is shown 
by the mortuary table compiled from the latest statistical returns 
from the several states and countries named. The death rate is for 

Minnesota 1 in 124 Tho whole U. S 1 in 

WisconsiE 1 in 108 Norway 1 in 

Tennsylvania 1 in 9lj Sweden 1 in 

Iowa 1 in 9.3 Denmark , 1 in 

.Michigat 1 in 88 Great Britain and Ireland 1 in 

lUiEOis 1 in 73 France 1 in 

Missouri 1 in 71 Uermany 1 in 

Thus we see that while but one in each one hundred and twenty- 
four persons in our state die yearly, four, nearly, die from the same 
number in the same time in Germany, and three would drop away 
from the same number in sunny France, or foggy England, or misty 
Denmark. Our death rate is largely increased by the death of per- 
sons who come here from other sections of the country, but who do 
not seek this refuge till their disease has made such ra.vages upon their 
system that they have lost all power to recuperate, and thus their 
coming adds materially to our death-rate, while for the reason just 
given it fails to benefit this class of health-seekers. In this connec- 
tion let me add, that the writer was told but a few days since, by a 
gentleman long in the ministry in Southeastern Minnesota, that of 
the funerals of grown people at which he had been called to officiate, 
more than forty per cent were of the class above referred to. They 
were strangers who had sought health among us at so late an hour 



TWO TORNADOES RATHER THAN ONE FLOOD. 31) 

in life that they had time to make but few acqwaiiitauces l>eFoi'e be- 
ing sununoned to the ''beyond." 

Here, too. we find one secret to our great wealth. Man's ability to 
labor, or in other Avords, liis producing power, as Rev. Rice in his 
Heniinary lecture puts it, which lies in the strength of his sinewy, 
vigorous frame, is fully one third better in number of days with us 
than in more southern latitudes, while his earnings are not ex- 
hausted in doctors' bills as in the sections referred to. 

It is admitted that our climate is cold, and yet from observations 
taken during a period of twelve years past, the mean winter tem- 
perature is shown to have been 25 degrees above zero. And while the 
writer has been preparing this work he has enjoyed one long unin- 
terrupted season of steady cold, free from thaws, fogs or lains, while 
the Eastern, Middle and Southern states were passing from extremes 







A. D. VK1)1>ER, AdUIClLTniAL IMl'LKMENTS, ROCHESTEK. 

of cold to rains and floods, which have swept away millions of prop- 
erty and in its consequent results will destroy its hundreds of helpless 
liuman beings, compared to which a Minnesota or New York cyclone 
is not to be considered. 

As shown in a former part of this work, the warmth of our soil is 
such that it clears and is ready for cultivation immediately upon the 
advent of spring; hence it is that for successive seasons spring: wheat 
Ijas been sown in Olmsted County before the 20th of March, a thing 
the writer never knew in his Eastern home, and once the crop was 
sown here before the 18th of February, and in all cases it has done 
well. Spring usually opens between the 15th of March and the 5th of 
April, and it comes without any succession of relapses. Drouths sever^ 



40 RAINFALL, POPULATION, ETC. 



enough to dainatre vegetation are of rare occurrence and it is equally 
seldom that excessive rainfalls occur. The most rain falls in the 
night and comes in the form of showers. Hence the meteorological 
records make the apparently incongruous showing of the greatest 
number of fair and clear days at the season when the most moisture 
is deposited. The average fall of water during ,the spring months is 
7.49 inches and the number of clear days 67. In summer the rainfalls 
average 9.98 inches and the fair and clear days 77. The average fall 
of rain and melted snow for the autumn is 5.33 inches and the num- 
ber of fair and clear days G4. For winter the depth of moisture 
(snow) is 5.19 inches; the fair and clear daj's 56. Drizzling rains sel- 
dom happen here and are of brief duration. Our Indian summer, of 
which the East have but a few days, usually lasts four to six weeks, 
carrying us well into November. These days are warm and pleasant 
with frosty nights. Frosts in May or in the early fall are of rare 
occurrence. 

Our Avinters are cold but not inclement and fewer days are lost on 
this account by those, who follow out-door occupations here than in 
Central Ohio or New York. 

POPULATION. 

A word as to our population, which has now reached not far 
from 33,500, may not be amiss. Our population is of a most energetic 
and highly intellectual order. A large majority of the business men, 
merchants and professional men of this County are Americans from 
the New England and Eastern states. Probably, more than one-half 
of the business men of Rochester city and the adjacent villages are 
from New York state alone. Of the total population of the County 
the census returns show nearly seventy-five per cent of the people as 
American; eight per cent German, while the remainder, or a little over 
sixteen per cent, are from Ireland and the Scandinavian countries. 

THE NATIVE RESOURCES 
of the County are rich and exceptional. In addition to the wealth of 
iis soil, which is of more value and possesses a greater productive 
power than the mines of Golconda, it is the fortunate posessor of a 
large number of water-powers, which enable its citizens to manufac- 
ture the products of their farms at home, and thus secure to them- 
selves the full benefits of theii- productions. Its woods, too, supply 
no inconsiderable quantity of lumber, suitable for manufactures of 
various kinds. Excellent building stone and the best of lime are ob- 
tained from its quarries, and that a valuable hydraulic cement rock 
is not found here is yet to be determined by experiment; while its 
vast deposits of clay make superior tile and brick, Avith an undoubted- 
ly good pottery clay in abundance. 

SHIPPING FACILITIES. 

Olmsted County, as will be seen by ref^^renceto the map, is crossed 
from east to Avest about midway by the Chicago & Northwestern 



OUR RAILROADS. 41 

railroad, one of the best equipped and ably managed lines in the north- 
west. It has been conducted with a view to the development of the 
country along its route by givinp: its patrons rates for transportation 
as low at least as any other road in the northwest; and by providin^^ 

I 




jai^f^^Li 



FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, ROCHKSTiCR, MIXX. RUILDi:>rG 
ERECTED 1870. COST $17,000. CHURCH Ilf THRIVIA'a COJTDITIOX. 

sufficient rollins: stock to carry all frei^^ht promptly. This road has 
three branches in the County, all the trains of which start from and 
return to Rochester daily. One of these branches leads off north of 
northwest through Cascade and New Hayen townships to Zumbrotu 
'n Goodhue County. A second branch extends northeast through 



42 RAILROADS, POSITIVE AND PROSPECTIVE. 

Eyota and Viola to\vnsbi[).s to Plainview in Wabasha County. Tlie 
third branch runs southeast through Eyota and Orion townsliips to 
Chatfield. All of these branches run ref::ular daily trains, and with 
the main line which crosses the County to the jvostward and the super- 
ior wagon roads throughout the entire district, renders a section of 
country fully fifty miles in extent and of sui-passing richness and fer- 
tility, directly tributary to the flourishing and beautiful city of Roches- 
ter. And to her markets come a large percentage of tlie immense 
productions of iield and fold from this vast district; while the mer- 
chants and manufacturers in turn supply tlie goods and wares for the 
surrounding thousands. 

On the north a branch line of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul 
railroad company, an equally wealthy, efficient and liberally managed 
corporation, between which and the Northwestern there is always 
active competition, extends from Wabasha on the Mississippi river to 
Zumbrota, passing, within about six miles of Olmsted County line. 
The Southern Minnesota road, which is in fact the principal east and 
west line of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Company, passes 
through south of the County at a distance varying from seven to 
eleven miles from the southern boundary. Hence we see there is no 
part of this County more than twelve miles distant from a railway at 
thepresent time, and but little of it. more than six miles. 

In addition to these lines, now a long time in operation, a line has 
been surveyed from Wabasha on the Mississippi river on the north- 
east, to Austin on the Minnesota and Iowa line to the southwest, and 
it is expected that it will be built daring the coming summer. This 
line, of whicli there is less than eigSity miles to build, will connect us 
with the pine and hard timber and iron regions of Wisconsin and the 
coal fields of Iowa, bringing us in direct and close connections there- 
with and render Rochester city one of the best centers for manufac- 
turing in the northwest. 

Another line is now building from the south through Decorah. 
Iowa, and will probably be built to this point on its way to St. Paul, 
at an earlj' date. It is backed by a wealthy corporation, havinir lines 
in Iowa and Illinois, who are seeking an entrance to St. Paul. Their 
survey also passes through Rochester. When these lines shall have 
been completed a better railway and manufacturing centre can no 
where be found than here, witn coal, tnuber, and iron within easy 
reach over direct lines of road, surrounded by an agricultural district 
for its size,the richest in the known world and directly tributary to it. 
in a section the most healthful known to statisticians, and upon the 
borders of a country, just developing, larger than the Kingdom of 
Persia, all parts of which are reached b%' direct and competing lines 
of road; under these circumstances, and in view of the wonderful 
growth and development of this great northwest, Avho can foresee the 
wealth and nnportance to be attained by the enterprising little city 
of Rochester. 



FICirURES Tl^AT DON'T LIE. 43 

Is This the Garden County? 



On our cover page Ave have referred to tliis as the "garden coun- 
ty," and now we desire the reader to follow us for a time that we may 
give him some of the reasons for the faith that is in us when we say 
we believe we live in the most i^roductive, healthful, eye pleasing,' 
and easily cultivated section of anj- considerable extent on this con- 
tinent. And we know full well Avhat these words mean. We have 
weighed them carefully ; we do not speak thoughtlessly ; nor do we 
say it without a most thorough examination of the subject. 

Do not misunderstand us. We do not claim we can raise more 
corn per acre than the most productive corn growing sections of Illin- 
ois and Iowa. We do not assert that we can grow more and better 
tobacco per acre than the most productive tobacco regions of the 
gulf states; or more or better fruits than the old orchards along the 
Delaware bay or the eastern coast line of Lake Michigan. We do 
not think we can produce more sugar cane per acre than the Caro- 
linas. Yet these and all other farm products grow with us in luxur- 
iant perfection. 

Nor do we lay claim to the Avierd and fascinating scenes of the 
Sierras to intoxicate the senses with their appalling grandeur; yet 
we have a landscape far more inviting. 

And if you will bear with us for a brief time, dear reader, we will 
try to persuade without tiring and to convince Avithout being ad- 
judged unfair. 

CORN. 

Corn is not our boast,~you Avill readily conclude, and yet for the 
year 1881, the poorest crops Avith us Ave eA^er had, (the report of the 
United States Commissioner of Agriculture for 1882 is not at hand) 
our state and county shoAvs the following comparison with other 
leading states: 

Massachusetts, average bu. per acre . 2.").1 Michigan 2S. 

Rhode Island. .■ 27. Indiana 21.s 

(Connecticut 2t).T> Illinois 19. J 

New York 2().4 Wisconsin 27.1) 



Pennsylvania 2.").2 Iowa. 

Kentucky 17. Kansas 18.2 

Ohio 2ri.-l Minnesota 32. 

All the states south of these given were still loAver in average, 
some going to 6 and 8 bushels,as in the cases of Georgia,the Carolinas 
and adjoining states. On the other hand Olmsted county, Minneso- 
ta, has given a mean annual average for the 14 consecutiA^e years 
past of 33 59-100. Compare these figures and then tell me, dear 
j-eader, can Ave groAV corn? 

WHEAT. 

Wheat is not our specialty, although during these same 14 past 



44 FIGURES FROM AN IMPARTIAL SOURCE. 

years our mean average per acre ]^as been 15 11-100 bushels. Taking 
the years of blight and bugs together, can you find a section on this 
green earth that has done as well? or, can you find the place where 
during their most prolific and favorable years, they have grown, the 
county over, an average of 27 bushels per acre of wheat that weighed « 
62j pounds per bushel. Is this a wheat section? 
BARLEY. 

Barley is not our boast, and yet for the 14 past years we have an 
annual average of 26 95-100 per acre the county over. 

From the report of the Commissioner of Statistics for 1881, we 
learn that for this crop 

Minnesota, average per acre same year. . 32.5 Michigan 24.;5 

Massachusetts' average pr acre 2').>i Indiana 2d. 

Connectic-at 19.8 Illinois : 15. ' 

NewYork 23.(5 Wisconsin 24. 

Pennsylvania 21.1 Ohio 16.4 

Kentucky 17. Iowa 20.^ 

All other eastern and southern states show a less jdeld. 

Olmsted county for 14 consecutive years of good crops and bad 
crops shows a mean annual average of 25 93-1.0. Dear reader, can we 
grow barley? 

OATS. 

Oats is one, but not our main crop, but if the reader will bear 
yet a little longer we will again quote from the same impartial source 
concerning this grain and its yield in the same leading states: 

Maine, average bu. per acre, of oats 28.9 Massachusetts , . . 30.4 

Connecticut 28.3 New York 28.^ 

Pennsylvania 31.S Kentucky 16.3 

Ohio 27.7 Michigan 32.7 

Indiana 23. Illinois 33.4 

Wisconsin 28.6 Iowa 26.2 

Again the southern and other eastern states go below the figures given, some being as 
lowa^ 10 bushelsj while 
Minnesota gave the same year an average of 35,6. 

And Olmsted county, Minnesota, for these 14 years in succession, 
has given a mean average of 37 99-100 bushels per acre. Will Olmsted 
county soil grow oats? 

RYE AND BUCKWHEAT. 

Neither rye nor buckwheat is the crop with us, aiid yet for the 
14 years named we have had a mean average as follows: 

BTE. BUCKWHEAT 

OSiKi'-tocl Coniitv, average per acre for 14 years 14.3 16.0 

IMewYork, " " " 1881 12 ll.i* 

Pennsylvania • 10.5 10.1 

Ohio 13 8. 

Michigan 12.5 14.5 

Indiana 10.2 11. 

Illinois 13.2 7. 

Wisconsin 14.3 12. 

Iowa 11.4 ...12. 

Again the south central and southern states stand far below tliose named in this 
average. 

Dear reader, did your county ever,for 14 or even 4 years together, 
do as well as Olmsted? If so your figures have never been given to 
the Avorld of statistics. 

POTATOES. 

Potatoes are not a special crop with us, although the well-known 



THE PERFECTION OF MINNESOTi\ POTATOES. 



45 



principle established by cliinatologists'that "cultivated plants yield 
their greatest and best products near^Athe northernmost limits of 
their growth" applies with peculiar force to our production of pota- 
toes. The mealy quality, the snowy^wdiiteness, the farinacious pro- 
perties, and the exquisite flavor which distinguish the best article, 
reach jDerfection only in high latitudes. Olmsted county has an aver- 




A.CADEMY OF OUR LADY OF LOUBDBS, ROCHESTER, ]MIN^'. 
ERECTED IX 1877. COST $32,000. 

age of nearly 1300 feet elevation and the potatoes grown here are 
well-known to surpass in all the qualities named, while their prolific 
yield is not less remarkable. In the south, the potato, in common 
with other tuberous and biilbous plants, beets, turnips and other 
garden roots, is scarcely lit for human food. I speak advisedly. "A 
forcing sun,'' says Dr. Torrey, "brings the potato to fructification be- 
fore the roots have had time to attain their proper size, or ripen into 
the qualities proper for nourishment." 



46 DURING FOURTEEN YEARS 124^ BUSHELS PER ACRE. 



Minnesota produces the best northern samples of this deUeious 
esculent, in characteristic perfection. From their farina and flavor 
the potatoes of Minnesota are held iu high esteem as a table delicacy 
in the states south of lis, and a great market has grown up for them 
throughout the Mississippi valley. Our potatoes are remarkably ex- 
empt from rot, which so often affects those grown in the states south 
of us. Since 1878 about four million bushels have been grown an- 
nually. From 250 to 300 bushels to the acre ai*e frequently obtained, 
while over 400 and even 500 bushels have been i3roduced under favor- 
able circumstances. 

The average yield for the year 1881, the latest figures attainable 
by the writer, shows in report of the commissioner of agriculture for 

Maine, average bu. per acre 52 New Hampshire &.', 

Vermont 7( i Massachusetts 5ri 

New York " — 57 Pennsylvania 4s 

VirRinia 40 Ohio 31 

Michigan 58 Wisconsin 75 

Iowa 55 MINNESOTA 95 

This shows an average of 20 to G4 bushels per acre better than 
any of the states mentioned. The more southerly states show still 
more unfavorably as compared with the grand new state of Minneso- 
ta. And that I , may not be accused of unfairness in selecting this 
particular year, the poorest year for crops with us ever known, I pre- 
sent the following from the agricultural commissioner's report: 

Ohio, average of nine years per acre 74.55 

Iowa, " five 76.73 

MINNESOTA " " 120.76 

O tiMSTKD COU^T V. fourteen 135. 50 

One potato patch of 50 acres, after 27 successive crops, 25 of which 
were wheat, without fertilizing, gave a little over 12,000 bushels, or a 
mean average of 240 bushels per acre. This cropAvas raised by W. E. 
Oanedy, of Rochester, the past season. 

Can we grow potatoes? 

FRUITS AND BERRIES. 

For some time in our early history, as in some other parts of the 
great northwest, the successful cultivation of the apple and other 
large fruits was regarded as uncertain. This was in time found, how- 
ever, to be entirely due to the newness and surpassing richness of our 
soil, which produced an abnormal growth of tender wood, incapable 
of withstanding our winter weather. And it was soon discovered 
that as the soil became subdued and lost somewhat of its virgin 
wildness, fruits would succeed in a corresponding degree, and as a 
result during the past few years, apple and other fruit trees have 
been given more attention, and the last agricultural report shows 
that Olmsted county had 124,306 apple trees grooving, only 15,708 of 
which were, however, of bearing age. From these young trees fully 
12,000 bushels of apples were harvested, and apple growing as well as 
all the other hardy fruits and berries is no longer an experiment but 
an assured success. 

The quality of our fruit is such that it commands a higher price 



home:-made syrup. 47 



in market than that which is brought here from more soutliern S93- 
tions. 

HONEY. 
It will ba seen by a reference to the productions of the county, 
published elsewhere, Olmsted county bees made over 8,000 pounds of 
lioney last year. The fact that wild bees were found in great num- 
l)ers in all parts of the state by the early settlers, is all the bee-cul- 
turist would care to know concerning the adaptability of Minnesota 
climate and pasturage for his favorite bses-y Italiuns. Our honey is 
entirely free from the strong pungent flavor which so oft^n marks 
the southern product, and our dealers pay several cents more per 
pound on this account over •-.he local production, than for that made 
in southern localities. 

SU(tAR-CANE. 
Says the state statistician in his last report: "The growing of the 
cane is a profitable industry and promises to become still more so on 
account of the experience gained in its culture, and of the improve- 
ments which have lately been and are now being made in the machin- 
ery and processes applied in the manufacture of cane syrup and su- 
gar. 

It is, therefore, but reasonable to anticipate such a development 
of this branch of agriculture, at least in the southern half of the 
state, as will render it an important source of revenue to the farmers 
of that region.'' 

The acreage for 1883 was 8,105. The average yield per acre in 
gallons was 92j-. The care of the crop is not more difficult nor expen- 
sive than that of corn. It is manufactured for about 8 cents per gal- 
ion and finds a ready sale at 55 to 70 cents. Olmsted county produced 
last year 19,940 gallons. 

Thus have we given you, dear reader, a showing of the principal 
crops of the northern states, and the comparative yield in the leading 
states, and from the statements you might be led to conclude that we 
were essentially a grain growing section. But we are not. On the 
other hand Olmsted is the leading stock growing and dairying coun- 
ty of the state, as will be seen by our stock statistics, with a large per 
centage of high grade and pure bred animals. Our dairying interests 
have attained that importance that a separate chapter is devoted to 
that subject. It has been prepared by the President of the Minneso- 
ta Dairymen's Association and is well worth a careful perusal. 
ADAPTABILITY OF SOUTHERN MINNESOTA FOR 
DAIRY FARMING. 
Until in 1876, when Iowa carried away the grand prize at the 
Philadelphia Exposition for the best butter in the world, it was sup- 
posed that a fine quality of dairy product could only be made in the 
states lying far to the east of the Mississippi river. Careful investiga- 
tion resulted in the general verdict that the soil, climate, water. 



48 THE DAIRl BELT. 



and grasses of some parts of the M'^est were by far better adapted for 
producing fine butter and cheese and that the herds were more easi- 
ly iiept in a healthy, vigorous condition than in any of the eastern or 
middle states. 

The result has been that enterprising young agricvilturlsts from 
every section of the east came west, bought farms in thei^e favored 
sections, and have aided in making them the weahhiest agricultural 
districts of the Union. Further and more careful investigation has 
developed the well substantiated fact that there existed a certam 
belt or region of country, termed the "dairy belt," that was by far 
better adapted to the successful prosecution of dairy or diversified 
farming than other sections, and that this region of country embrac- 
ed a section lying along the eastern slope of the Mississippi valley, 
and that the country lying to the west of this river in Minnesota, or 
embracing what is termed southeastern Minnesota, was even better 
adapted to the rai^id development of the dairy and stock interests 
rhan any other portion of the dairy belt region. The atmosphere being 
dryer and the waters softer and sweeeter a much finer flavored pro- 
duct is produced. 

These conditions, combined with the rich and productive soil, en- 
ables the farmer to successfully grow larger crops of blue grass, clov- 
er, oats, rye, barley, and all kinds of grain that is useful in the feed- 
ing of stock than is grown in other states. Hog cholera, herd pneu- 
monia, and like diseases, are unknown in this section and conditions 
that combined to make Olmsted, Goodhue, and other counties in 
^outhei'n Minnesota at one time the greatest wheat producing coun- 
ties in the Avorld, are now concentrated to make these counties the 
finest stock and dairy sections on the continent. 

But a few years since butter and cheese was imported to sup^^ly 
the people of Olmsted county. In 1883 Olmsted county produced a 
surplus of over 1,500,000 pounds of butter and cheese, and over 8,000,- 
(•00 pounds of pork; and it is estimated that the product of 1884 will 
1)6 at least one-half greater. 

Careful attention is being given to raising fine stock, and during 
1883 ovei $50,000 has been paid by farmers of this county forimi^orta- 
fion of fine cattle, hogs, and horses. Our rates of transportation are 
less and the product of the dairy can be laid down in New York or 
Boston at an expense of about one cent per pound. 

Large creameries and cheese factories are in successful opera- 
tion at Rochester and other sections of the county; the ijroduct of 
which finds a ready market at prices equal to or at times above 
Those realized by the dairymen of Iowa, Illinois, or even in the 
most successful dairy sections of New York and Pennsylvania. It 
requires more capital and a better class of help and a more thorough 
~ystem of farming to secure desirable results in diversified or stock 
and dairy farming than to carry on a specialty or wheat system of 



OUR LARGE FARMS BEING DIVIDED. 



49 



farming, consequently our large farms are being divided and sub- 
divided to suit the ability and means of the agriculturist. All are 
beginning to realize "that land produces according to the amount of 
practical labor expended in its cultivation, "and thereby we now have 
room and the best of lands at reasonable prices for those desiring to 
settle in the northwest. 




HIGH SCHOOL, ROCHESTER, MINN. BUILT IN 1868. COST $75,000. 

Here you can successfully prosecute a remunerative system of 
diversified farming and enjoy the benefits of ^tablished markets, es- 
tablished and low rates of transportation, good schools and churches, 
the best of advantages socially, and your outlay for lands and im- 
provements will not be one-half what it will cost you to become as 
well-established in Dakota or any new and unimproved region. 



50 LIMITED AREA OF DAIRYING FARMS. 



Southern Minnesota is destined to become the greatest dairy and 
stock gro\Ving section of the world. ..That grain farming as a special- 
ty became for a time an apparent failure only argues well for her 
rapid development as a stock and dairy section. 

Gen. J. H. Baker, of St. Paul, in an address before the North- 
western Dairy Convention, which met at Mankato, Minn., last year, 
says: 

Where is the place for stock and dairy-farming ? The Mississippi 
Valley north of Cairo, and quite to the source of that noble stream, 
eomprises the region whence the dairy products ot the future Avill 
mostly come. In America, taken as a whole, dairy lands are limited. 
This is true even in England. But in the area I have mentioned are 
everywhere localities in which the stock and dairying conditions are 
superb. Nutritious grasses grow abundantly; clover and blue grass 
abound; the water is pure; no importation of any kind of food for 
cattle is necessary; good food goes to its appointed work; the cattle 
are healthy; milk and butter keep Avell for the purposes of commerce. 
Not a single condition requisite for success is wanting. The choicest 
spots in the world for adaptation to dairying are to be found in this 
region. The resources of the Northwest in this particular are only 
beginning to be developed. Our dear bought experience of twenty 
years, during which we robbed the soil, is driving us to the wiser and 
better pursuit. 

It is but a few years since Northwestern butter and cheese were 
held in light esteem in all commercial circles. With as good material 
as any in the Avorld, we were careless in methods. But in due time the 
care, the cleanliness, the system absolutely essential to perfection in 
dairy products, began to assume form and development in the west. 
Western butter taken to the Centennial carried off the prize and vin- 
dicated the right of the west to equality with their co-workers in the 
east. It was indeed a triumph worthy of the Centennial. We be- 
lieve the supremacy so achieved^'will^ba maintained. Western butter 
now adorns the tables of the rich and pleases the palate of the dain- 
tiest epicure. On the tables of the great hotels they are proud to an- 
nounce on the bill of fare the name of the creamery which supplies 
the table with its golden butter. These are someJof the testimonials 
to the rapid advance Ave have made. Our work is but begun. We 
mean to surpass the world in the excellencejand quantity of our dairy 
products. We are not afraid to seize hold of the most advanced fa- 
cilities for the processes required. 

Not alone because of loyalty to my own section, but because of its 
real advantages, would^ say a word for that [noble belt of agricul- 
tural provinces called southern Minnesota. Railways and others in- 
terested in extolling the praises of lands bej'ond'ours, have caused 
one of the most highly favored regions of the Northwest to be omit- 
ted from the list of lands glorified beyond measure. The world is 



SOUTHERN MINNESOTA vs. DAKOTA. 



51 



flooded with persuasive advertising literature as to the enchantment 
in lands beyond us in fields toward the setting sun. Hence the tide 
of emigration has often surged past our doors. I would not ungener- 
ously depreciate Dakota nor the North Pacific lands. Southern Min- 
nesota can afford to wait the reaction which is sure to come. When- 
at college I remember reading in Heroditus that Solon declared, "No 
one country possessed all advantages, or yields all the products of 
nature, but has one and lacks another; and that country should be 
held most fortunate that produces most of those things necessary for 
the use and comfort of man." 

The wisdom of Solon is as good now as it was 2,000 years ago. 
Judged by this rule, southern Minnesota should be esteemed more- 




ROCHESTER SEMINARY, BUILT IN U 



COST $12,000. 



fortunate. No other region is better adapted to those things deemed 
most essential in general agriculture. It is a locality which peculiar- 
ly invites and will richly reward a mixed husbandry. We abound in 
lakes and streams of pure water; we have great stretches of shelter 
belts to protect us from the "pitiless peltings of the storm." We have 



52 BLUE GRASS AND SHORT-HORNS. 

good roads in winter and are well served with railways. As you turn 
to go northwest beyond us, this is the last pertain home of fruit, of 
clover, of timothy and com. We dislike a man with but a single idea: 
and a region which can produce but one crop is not an ideal one. 

That I have over-stated the peculiar adaptation of this region to 
the protection of grasses and the healthfulness of stock, let me sum- 
mon a competent witness: Mr. C. A. De Graff, near Janesville, has a 
3,200 acre farm. Born and raised in a blue grass region in southern 
Ohio. He is now one of the most eminent breeders of fine cattle in 
the west. Hear his testimony, given to the editor of the American 
Agricultural Review. Says Mr. De Graff: "I was raised in the blue 
grass country, and early became familiar with the value of blue grass 
and when I began farming in Minnesota, seeing the near resemblance 
to that section in many particulars, and examining the soil carefully 
in different parts, I became convinced that blue grass was natural to 
it, and I experimented with it and found it to be the case. This por- 
tion of the state is bovmd to be famous as a great grazing region. 
Three-year-old grade Short-horn steers, grazed on blue grass in this 
belt, will tip the beam at 1,700 to 1,900 pounds. This portion of the 
state, embracing the blue grass, is as fine as Kentucky, or southern 
Ohio, where the variety oi'iginated, and where alone it is generally 
believed it can grow." 

Such is the testimony of one who has made this question a practi- 
cal study and whose noble flocks and herds have vindicated this 
judgment. 

Dr. Holmes once wittily said, "Boston is a good place to be born 
in, for the man who is once born in Boston doesn't have to be born 
again." The man who settles in Southern Minnesota, doesn't have to 
go west to settle again. That business is intelligently concluded. 
Give us a country where you can make lovely farm homes, surrounded 
with verdant lawns and pastures, decorated with cattle; Avhere the 
dairy can nestle beside the spring or the lake, or the stream; a spot 
that you can embellish and enrich with trees, and fruits, and flowers 
and vines; where skill and taste can create, in the midst of a diversi- 
fied agriculture, the noble adornments of home for ourselves and our 
children. When we see Dalrymple and other great farmers come 
down from their plantations in Siberia, to spend their winters in the 
beatitudes of southern Minnesota, we think of these things and are 
contented. 

OUR GRAZING INTERESTS. 

In former divisions of this work much space has been given to 
this great and growing interest, but it has not been given the atten- 
tion that so prominent and profitable an industry demands. Our 
section, as has been already shown, is so well adapted to every kind 
of grain and our yield so enormous, the years together, that one 
might suppose we were essentially a grain growing section; but n o 



WHY OUR STOCK MEN SMILE. 



53 



so, and if the reader will follow us for a season we will briefly state 
our reasons for tlie assertion that nowhere to the east or south — ex- 
cepting a small section knoAvn as the blue grass region of Kentucky — 
can stock be so easily and cheaply kept, and that nowhere, east, 
west, north or south, can the dairy products and meat be so cheaply 
marketed. The cost of trai:i6portation, which absorbs much of the 
profit of grain culture and stock growing in localities distant from 
the market, is forcing attention to the peculiar advantages of Olm- 
sted county for stock raising and wool growing. Prominent among 
these are: 1. The richness and luxuriance of both the native and 
cultivated grasses. 3. The great numbers of pure, running brooks, 
the abundance of cold spring water, and the great prevalence of 
native and planted groves and fringes of tin'iber which so generally 
skirt each stream and headline, crossing and recrossing and reaching 
into every part of the county, thus furnishing shade and shelter ttt 
all times. 3. The remarkable dryness and exceeding healthfulness 



]n 






C 



Olliit 



!43 - 



EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ROCHESTER, MINK". 
CONSECRATED IN 1866. VALUE OF PROPERTY, $6,000. 

of the winter. The sleet, slush, mud, and the train of diseases which 
the damp and variable winters of eastern and southern climates in- 
flict upon animals and men, are positively unknown here. The cold, 
dry air sharpens the appetite and promotes a rapid secretion of 
fat and a vigorous muscular development. The wool grows finer and 
heavier, and our mutton, beef and pork are every where in market 
recognized as being sweeter and more juicy. Sheep are positively 
free from hoof-rot, catarrhal affections, and other diseases, and are 
invariably healthy. Hog cholera is not found among Minnesota 
hogs, and if there has ever been a native case of trichina in the coun- 
ty the writer has yet to hear of it. 



54 HOME MARKETS AND PRICES. 

CATTLE. 

Cattle do well without exception. Finer herds than those that 
graze upon the rolling prairies of Olmsted county cannot be found in 
any land. Fat cattle find ready sale on the farm— you need not drive 
them to a market, and you are sure of a price within about one cent 
of the Chicago or St. Paul markets, which lie upon our very borders. 
To all eastern readers, let me say that in looking for, as I hope, a per- 
manent home, it is to your advantage to seek not only a good grain 
growing country but a good stock country as well. The people whose 
food is wheat bread, beef and mutton, rule the world politically and 
mentally. The successful farmer must raise not gram only, but hors- 
es, cattle, sheep, and hogs. To do this he must select a country which 
produces cheaply the nu)st nutritious grasses and the richest grains, 
and furnishes the desired shade and shelter, with an abundance of 
pure, sparkling, running waters; and all within easy reach of the best 
markets. 

HOGS. 

Olmsted county in this, as in nearly every other industry, stands 
well at the front or leads her neighbors, and has to-day nearly or 
quite 13,000 swine; the last statistical report gave 12,204. 

The price paid here by local buyers is from one-half to one cent 
per pound less than the Chicago market prices. 

SHEEP. 

Sheep are adapted by nature to withstand cold; but they will not 
thrive in a drizzly winter or a sultry summer; nor will they drink the 
water of muddy streams. And after years of experience and a re- 
markable success attained by sheep and wool growers from all parts 
of the country, including the famous wool growing state of Vermont, 
the verdict of all these men is that nowhere on the continent can 
there be found a more healthful climate for sheep than in this part 
of this grand, new northwest. 

A. Wilson, of Richfield, Minnesota, an old Vermont wool grower, 
m comparing his experience in that old gr*^en mountain state so long- 
noted for its superior wool and mutton, with his experience in the 
same work in Minnesota, says: "In Minnesota * * I have 
kept for the past thirteen years an average of 200. My success has 
been highly satisfactory. * * j am of the opinion that Min- 
nesota climate improves sheep." 

Mr. Jonathan Ames, of Nobles county, an extensive stock raiser 
from Ohio, has a flock of 1,000, and declares that the grasses here are 
the best, richest and most nutritious that he has ever met with. 

A flock owned by P. L. Dansingburg, of Rochester, numbering 
336, gave an average last year of 12 pounds per fleece. 

Olmsted county stQ,rted in 1878 with 5,145 sheep, and has to-day 
-.upwards of 20,000. 



GOOD HORSES OUR PRIDE. 



55 



HORSES. 

With the Olmsted county farmer this subject becomes a matter 

of pride, and it has long been remarked by travelers and strangers 

that they have here found a better class of horses than in any other 

section of the northwest. The report of the United Sta*-es commis- 




G. B. STOCKING, CROCKERY, GLASSWARK AND LAMP GOODS, AT 
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL, ROCHESTER, MINN. 

sioner of statistics for 1881 shows that the state of Minnesota, al- 
though yet in her youthtime, has more and better horses than any 
four New England states combined, while the single county of Olm- 
sted, with her thousands of acres of vacant lands, has, as shown by 



56 SURFACE FF.ATURES. 

the saine returns, but 399 less than the entire state of Rhode Island, 
including all her cities. This report is the latest at hand, but the 
writer does not hesitate to give it as his opinion that if a careful enu- 
meration of the districts were made to-day we could show a larger 
number of horses and more money invested therein in Olmsted coun- 
ty than in the state named. 

Several vaJuable imported breeding horses are kept in the county 
and much care has been taken during the past to breed to only the 
better strains of stock; not in horses simply, but in cattle and other 
domestic animals, 

TOWNSHIPS 
Farmington. 

Fine prairie township. Very rich soil. But little timber. Sev- 
eral springs and brooks in south part. Good wells of water in all 
parts, 30 to 45 feet deep. Two villatres, Farmington and Potsdam. 
Four church ediiices. Several schools. Population in 1880, 849. 

Oronoco. 
Rolling prairie. Well timbered and Avatered. Zumbro riyer 
crosses from south to north near the eastern side, and North fork of 
same from west to east, with several smaller streams and many fine 
springs; has several very fine water powers, one of which is utilized. 
The village of Oronoco has ample church and school facilities, as has 
also the township. The population in 1880, 616. 

Neie Haven. 
Surface uneven; three-fourths timber. Two branches of the Zum- 
bro and several small streams, with very many large fine springs. 
Two yillages— Genoa and New Haven. School and church buildings 
built and paid for. Population in 1880 1,011. 

Qxiincy. 
Surface rolling. Streams— two branches of the Whitewater river 
and several fine spring brooks, many large springs. Timber along 
the streams. Several water powers; one used to run flouring mill, 
rest unimproved. Little Valley and Six Oaks post-offices. Schools 
and churches sufficient for years to come. Population in 1880, 745. 
Viola. 
Rolling prairie. Rich Soil. Four fine living streams and tribu- 
taries with many very large springs. Crossed by the Plain view branch 
of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. Station at Viola village. 
But little timber. No water powers. Schools and claurches. Popu- 
lation in 1780, 917. 

Haverhill. 
About one-half prairie. Several fine streams. Well wooded. 
Many springs of large size. School houses. Churches and a fine 
town hall. Population in 1880. 702. 

Cascade. 
Fine prairie land. Soil deep and rich. Unusuallv well v/atered. 
Zumbro runs through the eastern side from north to south, with sev- 
eral smaller streams. Well timbered. Population, 767. 
Kalmar. 
Heavily timbered on the west. One half prairie. Soil, rich loam. 



SURFACE FEATURES 



57 



A branch of the Zumbro river runs through from the west. Several 
fine water powers. Two saw mills did good work for many years. 
Byron village, a station on the railroad, is a fine little town full of 
enterprise and intelligence. Schools, churches, and all public enter- 
prises well sustained. Population in 1880, 883. 
Dover. 

Fine prairie. Uneven along the streams. The Whitewater has 
a branch cutting across the township with many fine brooks and 
large living springs. Some little timber. Dover Center is its railroad 
station and is a tine town with all public improvements. Population 
in 1880, 1,005. 

Eyota. 

Wooded prairie. Timber abundant. Many and large never- 
failing springs and spring brooks. Eyota village, a fine little town of 
some four hundred population, and a railway station. Soil, like the 
entire county, very rich. Population in 1880, 708. 

Marion. 
One-third rich prairie; two-thirds rolling and timbered. Soil 
somewhat sandv. Abundance of water. School liouses and churches. 




HORTON'S OPERA HOUSE BLOCK. 

The villages of Marion and Chester are thriving little bni*gs, the 
latter a railway station on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. 
Population in 1880, 873. 

Eocliester. 

Surface undulating. Well timbered. The town is watered by tlie 
south branch of the Zumbro river, Willow and Bear creeks, and 
many living spring brooks. Soil is rich and productive. Schools and 
churches flourish. One spring on section 8 of this townsliip run a 
saw mill for many years. Population in 1880, 612. 
Salem. 

Soil excellent. North half prairie. Well timbered. Many springs 



58 SURFACE FEATURES AND SCHOOLS. 

and living streams. No village, but all needed school houses and 
churches. Population in 1880, 990. 

Elmira. 
About half wood land. Soil sandy loam of great fertility; surface 
rolling. Well watered with springs and small streams. Root river 
furnishes an excellent water power, which is used by the Chatfield 
Flouring Mill Company. A portion of Chatfield lies in this township. 
It is well provided with schools and all needed public improvements. 
Chatfield is a railway station and affords a good market. Population 
of township in 1880 was 656. 

Orion. 

Very rich township. Two-thirds prairie and oak openings, the 
balance fine forest. Timber abundant. Soil black and rich. Root 
river and Mill creek runs through the town with many smaller streams. 
Springs very abundant. Two good water powers. Surface broken 
along the river, but all can be cultivated with ease, and soil rich. A 
good school house in each district. Post-office atCummingsvIUe. Pop- 
ulation in 1880, 645. 

Pleasant Grove. 

Named from the fine oak groves. One-third timber and broken. 
Two-thirds prairie. Soil rich deep loam. Root river cuts through 
and with tributary streams and springs furnish abundance of water. 
Several good water powers. One used for a grist mill power. Pleas- 
ant Grove village and Groesbeck are the post-offlces. Schools and 
churches in abundance. Population in 1880, 844. 

High Forest. 

Rolling prairies. Some timber. Rich soil. Many small streams 
and springs, with Root river cutting entirely across, which affords 
several good water powers. High Forest village, Stewartville and 
CarroUsville are the post-offlces. Several churches and a number of 
school houses furnish ample accommodation to all present needs in 
this direction. Population in 1880, 962. 

RocJc Dell. 
Surface smooth. Mostly prairie. Soil very rich. Well watered 
by springs, brooks, and a branch of the Zumbro river. One or two 
water powers. Some timber. Post-office, Rock Dell. Population, 
mostly Scandinavian, in 1880, 1008. 

ROCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL. 
The annual enrollment in this free school is about 700 with 
nearly 400 other pupils in the three ward schools. The high school 
building cost $75,000. It is furnace heated; well ventilated; furnished 
with improved desks, and modern school apparatus. It has 14 school 
rooms 24x32, lecture room 55x75, wardrobes, recitation rooms, super- 
intendent's office, etc. Teachers are experienced and under the care 
of Professor Durkee are doing good Avork. A full course here fits the 
student for any college. 

COUNTY SCHOOLS. 
There are in the county six graded schools, with 31 teachers and 
principals, beside the Seminary and Business College. One hundred 
and forty public school buildings valued at $201,782, including furni- 
ture. Scholars enrolled January 1, 1884, 5431. Teachers, 164. 

F. L. Cook, County Superintendent. 



THE GARDEN CITY. 



CITY OF ROCHESTER. 



The city of Rochester is at present the principal city in the Coun 
ty of Ohnsted, Minnesota, and contains a population of over 5,000, as 
shown by the census of 1880. Its location in the valley of the Zumbro 
at the confluence of the Bear, Cascade and Silver creeks, is one of the 
charming spots of the many in Southern Minnesota. Cefttrally loca- 
ted in nearly the geographical center of the County, and having the 
County seat, Rochester not only commands the larger portion of the 
trade of the settlers of Olmsted County, but of several of the adjoin- 
ing counties as well. The Chicago & Northwestern railway traverses 
the'County east and west, giving excellent facilities for large passen- 
ger and freight traffic to Chicago, 350 miles distant. Several new 
railroads are now in contemplation by the enterprising citizens of 
Rochester, and it is confidently exj^ected that at least two new lines 
of road will be furnished to Rochester the coming season; one from 
the southwest connecting with Chicago, Milwaukee,& St. Paul rail- 
way at or near Austin, Minn., and another from here to Decorah. 
Iowa, connecting with the Burlington &Quincy systems of railways to 
the east. With these new railroads and the extension of the Roches- 
ter & Northern from Zumbrotato St. Paul, Rochester will become one 
of the most important railroad centers in Southern Minnesota. 

The advantages that this beautiful city can offer those who are 
seeking a home in the west are almost innumerable; amongst which 
are eleven church edifices of various denominations; a central public 
high school, the building of which cost over $80,000; three private 
academies and seminaries of high grade, several ward schools, an ex- 
cellent society of intelligent families, who mostly own the houses they 
occupy, many of which are costly mansions, and would compare fa- 
vorably with the homes of the people of any city in the east or else- 
where. 

As a resort for health or pleasure, Rochester posesses many at- 
tractions, not often enjoyed by a visitor seeking health or pastime in 
this far famed state of Minnesota. 

To the lover of sports: Bear and Silver creeks, with their finny 
tribes of speckled trout, or the prairie chickens, partridges and rab- 
bits, that abound upon the prairies, and in the woods near this city 
may engage their attentions very profitably. 



MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. 



To the health seekers: Pure air, excellent water, delightfu 
scenery, pleasant drives, superb accommodations at hotel or in pri- 
vate families at wonderfully cheap rates, with free privileges to en- 
joy the virtues of the celebrated mineral waters of "Geisinger 
springs," which have becoiue renowned for their medicinal qualities, 
the firee use of which will surely revive the most despondent invalid 
after a sojourn of a few months in this city. Thousands can testify 
to the efficiency of these springs for the restoration of health and no 
invalid should return home from Minneseta without a thorough trial 
of the water of this "fountain of youth." 

To the business man Rochester offers especial advantages. Com- 
manding as she does the trade of a wide expanse of the most fertile 
region in the whole northwest, it has become proverbial that the 
business men of Rochester have acquired a competency not often 
enjoyed \^ that class in a new countiy. Honest industry in any 
branch of business, particularly in the line of manufactures, will sure- 
ly meet with a grand success in Rochester, as the market for most 
manufactured goods is provided near at hand, and the profits are 
large. Four flouring mills run by steam and water power, a furniture 
factory, engine and boiler works, several founderies, a sash and blind 
factory, anvil and vise works, hax-vester works, seed separator and 
cockle mill factory, and a large creamery and cheese factory, are some 
of the principal manufactories in the city at present. Wood is cheap 
and abundant, and with the opening of the proposed southern rail- 
roads connectiug the coal fields of Iowa with the lumber regions of 
Minnesota and Wisconsin, Rochester city is certainly a promising 
place for the location of any manufacturing industry. It will be one 
of the best distributing points in the state for manufactured goods, 
as the whole system of railroads, reaching into Iowa on the south and 
Dakota on the west, will be brought into close communication with 
this city, and a healthful competition between the several lines of 
railway will always insure the manufacturer that no advantage can 
be taken of his necessities. 

The capitalist seeking a remunerative investment of funds, can find 
no j)lace in the northwest where money judiciously invested in city 
property,or in the excellent farming lands of Olmsted County, will give 
larger returns in shorter time, than some of the properties offered in 
tkis County. Public buildings of the city and county have been built 
and paid for, so that the incubus of debt, which is the terror of capi- 
talists as well of the settlers in a new conntry, can produce no alarm 
and the fear of high taxes for years to come is thereby removed. 

The school houses in the country adjacent to the city are numer- 
ous and commodious, furnishing ample facilities for a common school 
education to the young people of the County, while a higher educa- 
tion is offered free at the public high school in Rochester to any 
resident of the County. This high school, together with either of thV 
three academies and seminaries of the city, will fit anx ambitious 
youth for entrance to any college in the land. 



M. J. DANiEiiS, Pree't. T. H. Titus, Cashier. 

T. L. FiSHBAOK, Vice Pres't. W. D. Mobris, Ass't Cashier. 

CAPITAL, $5o,ooo. - SURPLUS, $37,ooo. 

UNION NATIONAL BANK, 

ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA. 

NATIONAL PARK BANK, New York. FIRST NATIONAL BANK, Chicago. 

MILWAUKEE NAT'L BANK, Milwaukee. MERCHANTS NAT'L BANK,f8t. Paul. 

CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO INVESTMENTS SOLICITED, AND 

INFORMATION FURNISHED FREE. 

TWO THOUSAND ACRES OF RED RIVER LAND FOR SALE. 

SECOND HOSPITAl^ FOR INSANE. 

The Second Hospital for Insane was located at RochesterJMinn., 
by an act of the legislature, in March, 1878, and a farm of 160 acres 
purchased about one mile directly east of the city. Cost of farm 
$9,000. 

By the first of January, 1879, the institution was ready for the re- 
ception of patients and transfers were immediately made from St. 
Peter. Dr. J. E. Bowers, for ten years assistant physician in the 
First Hospital, had been elected superintendent by the board, and 
A. H. Kerr steward. The legislature of^l879 promptly made an ap- 
propriation for a section on the west side for female patients. Year 
hj year more room was required and other sections and returns were 
projected, until now when the last was put under contract to be fin- 
ished this year, the entire frontage to the south is 660 feet, with sec- 
tions running back sufficient when fully occupied to accommodate 550 
to 600 patients. 

A commodious barn and hay sheds have been erected. A valu- 
able root cellar has been excavated in sand rock in the blufifs directvT 
at the rear of the institution, (this excavation Avas almost entirely 
done by patients.) One hundred feet back of the buildings a new 
laundry and engine room have been erected; also in the rear of this 
a coal house capable of holding 1500 tons. A spur track brings cars 
directly into the coal house. East of the engine house is the gas 
house, which furnishes a fine quality of lighting material. The water 
supplj^ is from a large well near the engine house, from which water 
is pumped into a double reservoir on the bluff, over 100 feet above the 
hospital level, and 1600 feet from the engine liouse, and connected by 
one four-inch and one eight-inch water main. The reservoir is 250 ft. 
long, with a capacity of 250,000 gallons. By pipes water is carried to 
all parts of the hospital and to a system of hydrants surrounding the 
buildings. A steward's'office with a suitable vault has been lately 
completed. 

The entire cost of buildings and furnishina: the same, including 
the one now being erected, will approximate $300,000. For the cur- 
rent expenses of 1884 $62,400, and for 1885 $72,800 have been appro- 
priated. When fully completed the annual outlay will be more than 
$100,000. The advantages of such an institution to the city of Roch- 
ester and its immediate vicinity are apparent,'as the needed supplies 
are varied and the aggregate necessarily large 



, 63 

0. H. CHADBOURN, President. H. M. NOWELL, Cashier. 

Rochester National Bank, 

ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA. 

Capital, $50,000. - - - Surplus, $25,000- 

COLLEOTIONS AND ALL BUSINESS PEBTAINING TO BANKING PROMPTLY ATTENDED TO, 

INFORMATION GIVEN TO PURCHASERS OF REAL ESTATE FREE 

Chicago Correspondent, MERCHANTS NATIONAL. 

St. Paul Correspondence, FIRST NATIONAL BANK. 

Minneapolis Correspondence, NORTHWESTERN NATIONAL BANK. 

New York Correspondent, IMPORTERS & TRADERS NATIONAL, 

ROCHESTER SEMINARY AND NORMAL SCHOOL. 

This institution was incorporated early in 1883, and is already in 
a flourishing situation. 

During the present* year in the academic departments more than 
one hundred and fifty students have been enrolled, making a very 
good showing for so early a period in its history. In addition to the 
above, the department of music has enrolled in vocal and instrumen- 
tal classes one hundred and sixty-one. Of these more than one hun- 
dred are not in the other departments. The department of drawing 
and painting has enrolled sixteen, so that the total enrollment for 
the year is two hundred and seventy-flve. 

Six teachers are employed in the school. These are all teachers 
of ability and experience. By employing only the best talent the in- 
stitution hopes to merit the continuance of its already liberal patron- 
age. Four courses of study are arranged, thus giving students a 
choice in the line of work they wish to pursue. 

Adv&,n«ed students are also alloAved to elect equivalent studies 
outside of the regular courses. The college preparatory course fits 
students for any of our best colleges. The Normal course is designed 
for students desiring to teach in our district schools; while the Aca- 
demic course, covering four years, is intended to give a liberal educa- 
tion to such as cannot afford a complete college COURSE. 

Prof. H. Bretherick, the director of this department, is a gentle- 
man of many years experience in conservatories and colleges in this 
country, whose work since commg west has gained for him the entire 
confidence of the community, and proven him to be master of extra- 
ordinary ability in teaching'and directing. Send for programs and 
circulars giving full information. 

APPARATUS AND OUTFIT, 

The school has a very complete outfit of philosophical and chemi- 
cal apparatus. This includes the essential pieces to illustrate Me- 
chanics, Hydronamics, Pneumatics, Sound, Light, Heat and Elec- 
tricity. It also includes a complete set of Physiological models. The 
Laboratory is arranged in very convenient shape for practical work 
and analysis. 

Expenses are very low in all departments. Good board can be 
obtained at from $3.35 to |3.50 per week. For full information in re- 

' to the school, its outfit or methods, address the Principal, E, W. 
re. 



64 

John B. Coos. Pres't. Walter Hurlbut, Cashier. Fbank E. Gooding, Ass't Cashier. 

THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK. 

EOCHESTEK, MINNESOTA. 

DO A GENERAL BANKING BUSINESS. 

STATEMENT JANUARY 1, 188t. 

Loans $312,748 63 Capital stock paid in $100,000 W 

U. S. and other bonds at par 102,500 00 Surplus and undivided profits 34,263,81 

Real estate, furniture, fixtures 7,106 13 S8th semi-annual dividend 8,000 00 

Cash on hand and due from banks 101,121 09 Circulation 45,000 tt) 

r> pr ct. redempt'n fund with U. S. Due to depositors 338,462 01 

Treasurer 2,250 00 



$525,725 85 $525,725 85 

CORRESPONDENCE SOLICITED AND INFORMATION GIVEN FREE. 

UARLING'S BUSINESS COLLEGE. 
This institution was estal'shed in June, 1879. From its inception 
to the present time it has steadily <;rown in public favor, and five 
states are now represented among its pupils. In the year 1883 nearly 
300 students were enrolled. The course of study is thoroughly prac- 
tical and well adapted to the purpose for which it is intended. Schol- 
arships for the full business course are $40.00. There are English and 
Phonographic departments connected with the school. For particu- 
lars as to board, tuition, etc., address the Principal, D. Darling. 

THE SOUTHERN MINNESOTA FAIR ASSOCIATION 
is a permanent organization by the citizens of the County of Olmsted, 
for the purpose of promoting agricultural industry in Southern Min- 
nesota. A large investment of capital has been made by the associa- 
tion in the purchase of 80 acres of land near the city of Rochester, 
upon Avhich has been erected a grand exhibition building, a grand 
stand capable of seating 2,500 people, together with other buildings 
for the accommodation of stock on exhibition at a fair. A mile rac- 
ing track, the finest in the state, is continually kept in order by the 
association and is open to all breeders of horses, free for the purpose 
of training or exercise. An annual fair is held by tlie association up- 
on their grounds every fall, at which time several thousand dollars is 
distributed in premiums to exhibitors of agricultural products and 
breeders of stock in Southern Minnesota, and large purses are annu- 
ally paid to the trotting fratei-nity who match the speed of their 
horses upon the track of the association. Liberal dealing and earn- 
est efforts on the part of this association has placed it in the front 
rank and peer of any institution of this character in the' northwest, 
filling a niche in the great work of promoting a healthful competition 
amongst the farmers of Olmsted County, that has long been needed. 



REAL ESTATE FOR SALE. 



$500J.—Sc^i -4-108-13-1(50 ucros timber, gross and plow land, building and well, four and 
half miles east of Kocli03ter. Inquire of John Edgar. 

$1500— WV^ nw'4 -"1-108-13 > .^.f. acres timber, grass and plow land, good buildings and well, 
EH ne'4-3lJ-10S-14 f " H miles north of Rochester.— llali in Oronoco township and 
half in Farmingtoa, For imformation, address or inquire of John Edgar. 



$3500— E'^2 so 14 and ne 'i so ^-21-103-11-120 acras, 10 mllps north of Rochester, fair build- 
ings and good land. Far particulars inquire of John Edoak. 

FOR SALE— 2S0 acres splendid stock and j;rain farm, 7 miles south of Rochostor, Minneso- 
ta. Good frame house, granary and stables, wind mill. etc. Also 85 head of cattle, 
'AM high bred Merino sheep, LW hogs, 6 horses, farm tools, etc. Price of farm, 
pOOU.03 ; with stock, etc., 5f U,800.0J Will take part lumber or pinj land in Wiscon- 
sin, or long time at 7 per cent. Also other lands for sale. 

Address, Laird, Norton A Dansingtsupg, 

Lumber Dealers, Rochester, Minn. 

liiO ACRES FOR SALS, 10 miloa from Rochester, suitable for a stock farm, well watered— 
100 acres fenced ijto a fine pasture, no buildings. Price $12.50 per acre. Inquire of 
Sec y of Board of Trade, Rochester, Minn. 

FOR SALE— 120 acres, two a'id a half miles from Rochester, under fine cultivation, small 
house; suitable for stock and grain farm. Price iip,2,&00. Inquire of Sec'y of Board of 
Trade, Rochester, Blinn. 

FOR SALE aiO acres, 7 miles from Rochester, all under cultivation, well w,+ered, good 
house, barn and granary, IHO acres plowed, ready for crop. One of the Qaest stock 
and grain farms in Southern Minnesota. Price $27.50 per acre. Time given on part 
of purchase money. Inquire of John M. Sollivan, Chester, P. O., Minn., or Roches- 
ter National Batik, Rocliester, Minn. 

FOR SALE— 80 acres adjoining the village of Chester, Olmsted Co., Minn., 6 miles from 
Rochester, on the N. W. Railway ; good stock farm, well watered, good house and 
bam ; good school in village. Price S3,000. Inquire of Sec'y of Board of Trade, 
Rochester, Minn. 

FOR SALE— A stock farm of 400 acres, two miles from Rochester, all under a high state of 
cultivation; good house and large bam. A fine onportunity for a large stock raiser. 
Price $50 per acre. Inquire of Sec'y of Board of Trade, Rochester, Minn. 

FOR SALE— A large fine residence in the city of Rochester, consisting of a house of 17 
rooms, hot and cold water, furnace heat, ample grounds, centrally located and con- 
venient to schools, churches, etc.; suitable for a gentleman of means desiring a 
healthful location and pleasant society. Will be sold with furniture complete if de- 
sired and time given on part of purchase money. For terms inquire of the Sec'y of 
Board of Trade, Rochester, Minn. 

FOR SALE— Farms improved and unimproved of the best quality. Residence lots, houses 
and lots ; business property ; lots for manufacturing purposes : fine Iwrsesand cattle; 
all of which wiUbe sold on favorable terms for cash or time, by applying to Chad- 
bourn Bro's, Rochester, Minn. 

T. H. BLISS. 0. H. BLISS. 

BLISS BROTHERS, 
REAL ESTATE, ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA. 



(;ORUESPONDENCE SOLICITED. 

J. Nl. WIIvIvIAXlS, 

DEALER IK REAL ESTATE. ROCHESTER, MINN. 

CORRESPONDENCE - _ - . . SOLICITED. 






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